RJD, Congress to join JD-U government in Bihar?

In a major political development in Bihar, Lalu Prasad's RJD and the Congress may soon join the JD-U government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, party leaders said Saturday.

Leaders of the Janata Dal-United and its new ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Saturday hinted that legislators of the RJD and the Congress were likely to be inducted in the Manjhi cabinet.

"A formal announcement will be made only after Lalu Prasad arrives from Mumbai, where he is recovering after a major heart surgery," an RJD leader said.

A JD-U leader also said there was a strong possibility of both the RJD and the Congress joining the government.

"Till now, both the RJD and the Congress are extending support to the Manjhi government from outside. But soon they will be part of the government," the JD-U leader said.

Last month, the RJD, JD-U and Congress alliance stunned the Bharatiya Janata Party by winning six of the 10 assembly seats for which bye-elections were held.

The RJD won three seats, the JD-U got two, while the Congress wrested one seat from the BJP after 23 years.

The BJP won four seats, while its ally, the Lok Janshakti Party of Ram Vilas Paswan did not win any.

In the 2010 assembly elections, the BJP had won six of the seats, the RJD three while the JD-U had got one of these 10 seats.

The ruling JD-U has 119 members in the assembly and enjoys the support of 24 RJD members, five Congress legislators, one CPI member and two Independents.

The opposition BJP has 84 members. There are three Independent members, and one seat is vacant.