JD(U), BJP members clash in Bihar Assembly

The rivalry between friends-turned-foes Janata Dal (United) or JD (U) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) today took an ugly turn when their legislatures, including state BJP President Mangal Pandey, clashed in Bihar Legislative Council.

Members from both the parties shoved and pushed each other in full view of cameras. The episode took place during the question hour when JD (U) member Sanjay Singh objected to BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who is the Leader of Opposition, referring to Water Resources minister Vijay Chaudhary by name and said he was suffering from some disease due to which he always kept blubbering something.

An angry Modi rushed into well of the house demanding that the comments be expunged from the records and condemned Singh's behaviour against a senior. Other BJP members followed him into the well. Council Chairman Awdesh Narayan Singh moved to another question, but later adjouned the house till 2.30 pm when BJP members refused to listen to repeated requests from the chair and kept shouting anti-government slogans.

However, the argument refused to die down and a scuffle broke out between JD(U) and BJP members as soon as the chairman left.

BJP state president Mangal Pandey, and MLCs Rajneesh Kumar and others were seen rushing towards Sanjay Singh. Some JD (U) members Neeraj Kumar, Ranbir Nandan among others came together in support of Sanjay Singh and the members pushed and shoved rivals.

This ended after senior members from both sides intervened and physically separated them with the help of house marshals.

Later, Modi pointed fingers at former chief minister Nitish Kumar and accused him of instigating the clash. Modi, who has served under Kumar as his Deputy Chief Minister, said the party would boycott the house proceedings in protest.

Kumar, who is a member of the legislative council and who sits besides Sanjay Singh in the house, expressed anger over the allegation of instigation.

Expressing hurt, he told the house, when it reconvened at 2.30 PM, that he would not enter into the council unless the Chairman takes appropriate action against BJP leaders.