RJD accuses Bihar CM Nitish Kumar of dividing party

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of trying to split the RJD to make political headway before the 2014 general elections.

In a poll jolt to Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD, 13 legislators quit the party on February 24, out of which six of them later had claimed their allegiance to party chief, and said that they were duped into signing on false paper work.

The 13 legislators had met Bihar Assembly Speaker Uday Narayan, and had sought to be recognised as a separate group, which was immediately accepted by the Speaker.

On Thursday, RJD protesters demonstrated in Patna against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to grant recognition to the 13 party legislators as a separate group.

RJD lawmaker Ram Kripal Yadav, said the protest will continue if Kumar failed to reform his behaviour and take the necessary step.

The protesters took out a protest march, carrying banners and placards, raised slogans against Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU) and also burnt his effigies.

RJD leader Rabri Devi, had on February 25 accused Kumar saying that he conspired to break her party and that he would have to face the consequences in the upcoming election.

Reportedly, the 13 legislators had met at the residence of their rebel leader, Samrat Chaudhary who had written the letter to the speaker of the legislative assembly asking them to acknowledge their support to the ruling JDU party in Bihar and their withdrawing of support from Rashtriya Janata Dal.

Reportedly, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had also hit out at the Speaker for recognising the 13 rebel legislators as a separate group in the state assembly.

Kumar is serving his second term as the Chief Minister of Bihar.

Janata Dal United and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Dal had announced the split of their 17-year-old alliance last year which was triggered by the meteoric rise of Narendra Modi and his coronation as the prime ministerial candidate of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Indian media often present 2014 elections as a face-off between Vice-President of Congress, Rahul Gandhi, best known for his famous last name, and Narendra Modi, who has been lauded by Indian corporate leaders and foreign companies for his business-friendly policies in western state Gujarat.