Bihar Congress MLAs planning to switch over to Nitish Kumar led JD(U)

Patna: Bihar is all set to witness another round of political drama with the Congress heading for a split in the state. At least 14 Congress MLAs are planning to switch sides and join Nitish Kumar headed Janata Dal (United), according to a The Times of India report.

The central leadership of the Congress had summoned Bihar unit chief Ashok Choudhary and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Sadanand Singh to the national capital on Thursday.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi met the two Bihar leaders and asked them to prevent the split. The Congress has 27 MLAs and six MLCs in Bihar. 

The meeting was also attended by senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel and CP Joshi.

JD (U) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on July 26 snapped ties with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. The three parties had formed the Mahagathbandhan in 2015 and swept to power in the Assembly elections held in October-November that year.

Kumar walked out of the Mahagathbandhan following allegations of corruption against RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was then the deputy chief minister of the state. The JD (U) joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party to retain power leaving the Congress, which is already a spent force in the state, staring at an uncertain future.

However, the Congress on Friday said its legislature party in Bihar was "absolutely intact and there was no threat" and that the Bihar CM  was making efforts to weaken the party in the state.

"The CLP in Bihar is absolutely intact. There is no threat. Efforts have been made which exposes the unprincipled politics of the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," said party spokesperson Anand Sharma.

Ashok Choudhary, too, said "the party was united" in the state after meeting Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.