BJP ministers to boycott 'last' Bihar cabinet meeting

Upping the ante against JD(U), BJP today questioned the need for convening a Cabinet meeting by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar when he has firmed up decision to part ways with NDA, and said BJP ministers would boycott the "meaningless" meeting.

Upping the ante against JD(U), BJP on Sunday questioned the need for convening a Cabinet meeting by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar when he has firmed up decision to part ways with NDA, and said BJP ministers would boycott the "meaningless" meeting.

"What is the need for convening the Cabinet meeting by the chief minister as all indications suggest that JD(U) has decided to split with the BJP-led NDA?" Bihar unit BJP president Mangal Pandey asked.

"Under the circumstances, it has been decided that the BJP ministers (11 in all) will boycott the Cabinet meeting," he told reporters outside deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi's official residence before going for a strategy meeting of senior BJP leaders, including the ministers.

Apparently resigned to the eventuality of JD(U) announcing its decision to part ways with NDA, Pandey mounted frontal attack on Nitish Kumar for keeping mum on his party leaders spewing venom against BJP and publicly talking about split even before a formal decision could be taken.

A JD(U) national spokesperson has already spoken about the alliance between the two allies falling apart and a senior minister has said that only a funeral procession is needed to taken out to bury the 17 year-long alliance, the Bihar BJP chief said.

He regretted that Kumar has never stopped his leaders and ministers against carrying out such offensive attacks against the alliance partner.

Stating that the diatribe of JD(U) leaders against BJP has all but concluded that the alliance was over, Pandey said BJP will nonetheless await official announcement by the JD(U) leadership and take appropriate steps only after that.

Meanwhile, state BJP leaders during deliberations with their 11 ministers are likely to finalise modalities of parting ways with the state government, informed sources said.