Even as the deadlock continues between the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal over a merger , JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday met party leaders and legislators to take their views on the coming Assembly elections.
In another development, cornered Rashtriya Janata Dal appealed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to intervene.
Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh openly refused to accept Mr. Kumar as chief ministerial candidate of the alliance, and the Congress openly backed him for the top post.
On Wednesday, Mr. Kumar met with party MLAs and MPs of West Champaran, East Champaran and Bagaha in the first session. Later he held meetings with leaders of Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts at his official residence.
“Yes, it’s a meeting for poll preparedness and it will continue till June 16,” JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told The Hindu .
According to party sources, at the meetings, Mr. Kumar asked party leaders about their views on going to the polls without the RJD but with the Congress. “We told him he is our leader and whatever decision he will take, we all are with him,” a party legislator told The Hindu .
RJD’s appealMeanwhile, with the Congress openly declaring to go with Mr. Kumar, an isolated RJD on Wednesday appealed to Ms. Gandhi to broker peace between the two parties for an alliance.
Later in the day, the RJD also sent an emissary to meet Mr. Kumar.
