Nitish-led JD(U) formally ditches Grand Alliance to join hands with BJP

The Janata Dal (United) under Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday passed a resolution at its national executive meeting to become part of the NDA. 

The national executive also put its seal of approval on the party’s decision to walk out of the Grand Alliance with Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the Congress, to join hands with the BJP and form a government in Bihar.

Making the announcement, party leader KC Tyagi categorically denied that there was any split in the party following differences with senior leader Sharad Yadav. 

"The JD(U) national executive meeting chaired by party president Nitish Kumar approved a resolution to become part of the NDA," he said.” 

BJP president Amit Shah during a meeting with our (JD-U) president Nitish Kumar recently had urged him to bring the JD(U) into the NDA. The national executive committee approved it and now we have become part of NDA," Tyagi said.

Flanked by the party's senior leaders R C P Singh, Harbansh and Pawan Varma among others, he denied that there was any split in the party.

Sixteen out of 20 state unit presidents, all its 71 MLAs and 30 MLCs in Bihar and all office bearers of the party committees appointed by Nitish Kumar with the consent of Sharad Yadav were present in the national executive and became part of the decision, he said.

"So how can there be split in JD(U)?"

The party, he said, would wait till August 27, the day of RJD's rally here, before initiating any action against Sharad Yadav.

JD(U) will hold an open session during the day in which chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar would be present.

Sharad Yadav skipped the national executive committee meeting and attended a parallel programme, Jan Adalat, of those loyal to him, including suspended JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar Ansari.

The programme promised to continue with the Grand Alliance.

Sharad Yadav fell out with Nitish Kumar over his decision to walk out the Grand Alliance.