Nitish calls emergency Cabinet meet, BJP ministers to boycott

With a separation between JD(U) and BJP imminent, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called an emergency Cabinet meeting today which BJP ministers are expected to boycott.

"A Cabinet meeting has been called at 11:30 AM," official sources said.

The BJP ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, are expected to stay away from the Cabinet meeting. There are 11 BJP ministers in the 29-member Bihar Council of Ministers.

BJP ministers, state party President Mangal Pandey and other senior members are holding a meeting at Sushil Modi's house to plan future strategy.

The sources said that the Chief Minister has called a meeting of Cabinet to create a ground for sacking BJP ministers on the plea of their non-participation and send a recommendation to this effect to Governor D Y Patil.

The script of the separation of JD(U) and BJP has been written after a crucial meeting between JD(U) President Sharad Yadav and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar late last night.

Accordingly, Yadav has called a meeting of JD(U) MPs, legislators and other office-bearers at CM's residence at 12:30 PM to discuss political situation. Yadav is scheduled to address the media at 3 PM to brief about the party's decision.

He is also expected to announce his decision to quit as Convenor of NDA.

Party sources said the decision on separation has been taken and the party leaders in the meeting would be told the need for severing ties with BJP in the wake of elevation of Narendra Modi as chief of BJP campaign committee for the next Lok Sabha elections.