Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, with his party preparing for a formal announcement of joining the NDA at its national executive meet in Patna on August 19.
Mr. Kumar also suspended MP Anwar Ali from the parliamentary party group for participating in the meeting of Opposition parties here. Mr. Ali is said to be close to senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav and has opposed the JD(U)’s alliance with the BJP in Bihar.
Action against Mr. Sharad Yadav for his opposition to the alliance is also likely as early as Saturday.
Sources told The Hindu that he would be removed from his position as the leader of the JD(U) parliamentary party group. Senior party MP R.C.P. Singh may be the likely replacement.
‘Party has decided’
This was Mr. Kumar’s first visit to Delhi after his party pulled the plug on the grand alliance government in Bihar with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress to ally with the BJP.
Mr. Kumar too hinted strongly at action against Mr. Sharad Yadav.
“He [Sharad] is free to take his decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party,” Mr. Kumar said.
The JD(U) has 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, and two in the Lok Sabha.
Party sources said no decision or deliberation had taken place over whether or not the JD(U) will occupy any berths in the Union Council of Ministers.
With many vacancies in critical ministries at the Centre, a reshuffle of the Union Cabinet is expected after Independence Day.
Mr. Kumar had a luncheon meeting with Mr. Shah after he met Mr. Modi.
