All the legislators of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will stay in a temporary shelter built inside the premises of official residence of former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in Patna until the crucial floor test of the new NDA government in Bihar helmed by Nitish Kumar on February 12, people familiar with the matter said.
The party has decided to keep all its 79 members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) and eight members of legislative council (MLCs) together amid alleged bid by CM Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) to “woo” them for an easy win during the trust vote.
All 12 MLAs of the CPI-ML(Liberation) also attended the evening meeting at Tejashwi Yadav’s residence, 5 Deshratn Marg, and were “holed up” there till late evening.
The CPI-ML(Liberation) is the part of the RJD-led alliance along with the Congress, which has already spirited away its MLAs to a resort near Hyderabad, the capital of Congress-ruled Telangana.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad, who stays at the 10 Circular road residence of his wife former CM Rabri Devi, is said to be keeping a close watch on the situation. Rabri’s residence is a stone’s throw away from son Tejashwi’s.
RJD national spokesperson Manoj Jha said all party MLAs unanimously decided at the meeting called Saturday afternoon to stay put at Tejashwi’s residence till the trust vote on February 12.
“It’s a leisurely atmosphere inside,” the Rajya Sabha member said, as he emerged from Tejashwi’s residence.
State RJD president Jagdanand Singh too said he was not aware. “ Ahead of the floor test on February 12, all parties are holding meetings with their MLAs. RJD too called the meeting for the same purpose,” he said.
On January 28, chief minister Nitish Kumar walked out of the RJD-led alliance and realigned with old ally BJP to form a new government.
An RJD MLA, requesting anonymity, said all arrangements for a comfortable stay for the legislators had been arranged at the residence of Tejashwi Yadav. “There is no restriction on movement of any legislator,” said the MLA.
BJP leader Nikhil Anand said, “Sensing that some RJD MLAs are uneasy, the party has put them under house arrest. On the other hand, RJD is trying to grab media headlines by making all kinds of statements. In reality, NDA is cool, comfortable & confident from day one. RJD will bite the dust,” said Anand.
(with inputs from Anirban Guha Roy)