Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tarakant Jha, who was with the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh, joined the ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar on Wednesday.
At a press conference here, the octogenarian said he was upset with the functioning of his party. Asked whether he had relinquished the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideology with which he was associated, Mr. Jha said he still followed the same ideology.
The response rattled State party president Bashishtha Narayan Singh and other leaders at the press conference, who swiftly brought the conference to a close.
In response to a question, Mr. Jha also said he had no objection to Narendra Modi’s leadership. He also declared support for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s development agenda.
Mr. Jha is the former chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council.