Nitish, Lalan attend JD-U meet amid reports of rift

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Janata Dal-United national president Lalan Singh attended a meeting of its national office-bearers in New Delhi on Thursday, a day before its national executive and council meetings, amid a buzz that Singh may make way for Kumar to lead the party.

Some party leaders said there have been talks even within the organisation about Singh quitting his position in Kumar's favour but made it clear that no such message has been conveyed by either of them so far.

A party leader noted that the council meeting is generally called to ratify any important decision taken by the national executive.

While the office-bearers discussed the contents of political agenda which will be approved at the meeting of the party's apex bodies, a combative Singh earlier reacted contemptuously to reports about his resignation and a rift within the party, which has a history of swinging across the ideological spectrum to change allies.

"You are trying to set the narrative... JD-U is one and will remain united," he said in response to the media's queries on his resignation and differences in the party, asserting that it is a routine meeting, a view also echoed by Kumar before he boarded the flight from Patna to Delhi.

"If I have to resign, I will call you (mediapersons) and consult you about what to write in the resignation letter so that you can go to the BJP office and get the draft," Singh said sarcastically.

After the meeting, JD-U chief spokesperson K C Tyagi dismissed questions on whether the chief minister may join the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

"We are not joining the NDA," he said.

Another party spokesperson, Rajib Ranjan, said the office-bearers discussed the contents of the political agenda for Friday's meetings.

There was no discussion on any organisational changes, he asserted.

Issues like caste census and rise in reservation in Bihar are likely to figure prominently in the meetings on Friday.

Before the meeting of office-bearers, Singh met Kumar at his residence in New Delhi and the two leaders later arrived at the party office together, a gesture apparently aimed at sending out a message of unity within the party.

The two leaders go back many decades and Singh has been a key ally of Kumar except for a period between 2010 and 2013 when he had quit the JD-U.

Shortly before leaving Patna for the national capital, the Bihar chief minister asserted that the JD-U's two-day conclave in Delhi was a 'normal and annual' affair with 'nothing extraordinary' about it, rejecting speculations of turmoil in his party.

Speculation has been rife that Singh may be asked to resign due to alleged proximity to JD-U ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).