Crisis in JD(U) deepens with swelling of rebels list

Patna: Crisis in ruling JD(U) triggered by induction of 14 new ministers deepened Friday with nearly half-a-dozen rebel MLAs holding meeting here and expressing their anger against former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The disgruntled MLAs met at residence of Poonam Devi. With the number of dissidents increasing it might cause trouble for JD(U) in election to three Rajya Sabha seats from the state fixed later this month. Though on the basis of its existing strength of 117 MLAs in the Bihar Assembly, winning the three RS seats is not a problem but the way rebels numbers is swelling cross voting could not be ruled out, said one of the rebel MLA. JD(U) President Sharad Yadav is said to be one of the probables for the three RS seats from Bihar falling vacant after victory of Ramvilas Paswan, Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Ramkripal Yadav in Lok Sabha poll. The MLAs present in the meeting at residence of Poonam Devi, MLA from Digha in Patna district, included Madan Sahni, Raju Kumar Singh, Ravindra Rai and Gyanendra Singh Gyanu. Emerging from the meeting, Poonam Devi told reporters that Nitish Kumar was surrounded by some "dalals" (dealers) like Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, R C P Singh and Sanjay Gandhi who are calling shots in the party. She claimed that around 50 MLAs of the ruling party were no more prepared to tolerate this within the party anymore. She said they have made JD(U) President Sharad Yadav aware of the views of larger section of MLAs and urged his intervention. Poonam reiterated the demand of Gyanu that Lallan, RCP Singh, Sanjay Gandhi be thrown out of the party. The trouble within JD(U) started from the day Manjhi government was expanded with induction of 14 new ministers on June 3.