BJP in trouble in Bihar, leaders meet RSS chief

Stung by rebellion within the party, Bihar BJP top leaders today met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat here and discussed the political situation in the state.

The BJP state unit has accused Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of orchestrating the revolt. While one MLA has been suspended for six years, nearly a dozen BJP MLAs reportedly have complained against party leader Sushil Kumar Modi.

S K Modi, party general secretary and in-charge of state affairs Dharmendra Pradhan, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Nand Kishore Yadav, state party president Mangal Pandey and others met Bhagwat over breakfast and discussed the the latest developments.

Though the leaders were tightlipped about what traspired at the meeting, senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh told reporters, "Of course when we sit togther there will be some talk on prevailing political situation."

This was the first visit of the sarsanghchalak of RSS, which has lent its support to Narendra Modi in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, to Bihar since the ruling JD(U) walked out of NDA.

Pandey, who has his roots in RSS, however, told reporters that it was a courtsey call.
BJP national vice president C P Thakur, general secretary Radha Mohan Singh and former minister Chandramohan Rai were also present.

The meeting between top BJP leaders and Bhagwat is important considering the widening cracks within Bihar BJP with some more party Legislators openly venting their anger on the inner party democracy and charging S K Modi with 'hijacking' the party.

The revolt was triggered by Amarnath Gami, BJP MLA from Hayaghat in Darbhanga, who was suspended for 6 years.

Gami has claimed that a dozen BJP MLAs shared his view. This claim has been dismissed by the BJP.

Later, S K Modi, the former deputy chief minister, made a scathing attack on Kumar for 'triggering trouble' in BJP and said it also could do the same to JD(U).

"Its like T20 match ... the number of wickets they (JD-U) claim from our side (BJP) we will pick double the number of wickets," Modi told reporters emerging from a function attended by the RSS chief.

Hitting out at the CM, he said the person who claims to have sacrificed everything in the name of principle is actually 'luring' BJP MLAs through use of crores of rupees and in the name of 12 vacant seats of Legislative council.

"For the 12 vacant seats of nominated members in the Bihar legislative council, the CM has in fact lured more than 50 persons of different parties with a promise to make them minister afterwards," Modi said.

Modi claimed that more than two dozen JD(U) MLAs are in touch with BJP and the day Kumar expands his cabinet they would switch over to it.

"Nitish Kumar has not expanded his Cabinet even after 40 days (since the NDA split).

If he has the courge he should do so before monsoon session of both houses of Bihar legislature starting from July 26," the senior BJP leader said.

Bihar, he said, has been the 'greatest looser' due to the break up in NDA.

He drew parallels between the present situation in Bihar with the one prevailing between 1967 to 71 in the state, when it witnessed 'Aaya Ram Gaya Ram' (free trading of MLAs) kind of situation due to political instability.