Daijiworld Media Network – Patna
Patna, Dec 12: The political climate in Bihar heated up on Friday after senior leaders of the NDA’s key allies — the BJP and JD(U) — claimed that at least 18 MLAs from the Opposition Mahagathbandhan were in regular touch with them and willing to defect.
BJP leader and state health minister Mangal Pandey said growing dissatisfaction within the RJD, particularly after the recent assembly election results, was becoming increasingly visible. “There is a lull before the storm in the Mahagathbandhan. The discontent over poor performance—especially of the RJD—will not stop here. Wait for some time and you will feel the heat,” he told reporters.
Echoing similar sentiments, JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar asserted that the initiative for the crossover had come from the Opposition lawmakers themselves. “As many as 18 MLAs of the Mahagathbandhan are in touch with the NDA,” he claimed.
The RJD, however, strongly refuted the allegations. Party spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan described the claims as a deliberate attempt to create confusion. “This is a political design to spread rumours about discontent in the Mahagathbandhan. All Opposition bloc constituents are intact,” he said.
He added that MLAs of the alliance were elected to raise issues such as unemployment, migration, inflation and poor healthcare. “The question of defection does not arise,” he asserted.
The remarks come just days after five AIMIM MLAs met chief minister Nitish Kumar at his residence, sparking speculation of a possible defection. Although the MLAs insisted that the meeting was only to discuss constituency-related demands, political observers view it as part of the JD(U)’s strategy to strengthen its position.
In the recent assembly elections, the JD(U) secured 85 of the 102 seats it contested, while ally BJP won 89 seats, emerging as the single largest party in the 243-member House. Among other NDA partners, LJP(RV) bagged 19 seats, HAM five and RLM four.
On the Opposition side, the RJD won 25 seats, the Congress six, CPI-ML two, CPI(M) one and IP Gupta’s party one — taking the Mahagathbandhan’s tally to just 35 seats.