Bihar Education Min Vijay Choudhary insists ‘JDU is still with BJP’ amid NDA split rumour

Speaking exclusively to Republic TV, Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary stressed that JDU was still an ally of the BJP amid rumours of a split in NDA. Considered a close confidant of CM Nitish Kumar, Choudhary holds the portfolios of Education and Parliamentary Affairs. Conceding that there will be a discussion on the current political scenario and the future strategy, he opined that nobody can predict how things will unfold. On this occasion, he also confirmed that the JDU lawmakers will also discuss ex-Union Minister RCP Singh’s exit from the party. 

Bihar Minister Vijay Choudhary stated, “As of now, we have not left BJP. The support letter of Congress is conditional. It said that it will extend unconditional support if we leave BJP. That situation hasn’t arisen. As of now, we are with BJP and NDA. We have a meeting of the Legislature Party and the senior leaders of the party which includes MPs. There will be a discussion on the current political situation.” 

The JDU leader added, “RCP Singh was not just a senior leader but the number two in the party. There will be a discussion on the circumstances under which he severed ties with the party. What our national president (Lalan Singh) has said is correct”. 

JDU-BJP tussle

In fast-paced developments, the Congress Legislative Party met a day earlier and declared its support to the Bihar CM in the scenario that JDU snaps ties with BJP. At present, Congress has 19 MLAs in the Bihar Assembly. As per sources, AICC Bihar in-charge Bhakt Charan Das and CLP leader Ajeet Sharma also met RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav to convey their decision. Meanwhile, RJD MLAs and other leaders have started arriving at the residence of party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Patna for the meeting that will begin at 11 am.

JDU MLAs and MPs are also scheduled at around the same time to decide the future of the government. Sources told Republic TV that both BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had a telephonic conversation with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday in a last-ditch attempt to save the alliance with JDU. While BJP is the second-largest party with 77 seats, JDU only has 45 MLAs.