In a day of fast moving political developments in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is likely to extend support to mercurial Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. According to news agency ANI, the party has a strength of 160.
"If BJP attempts to create instability or tries to push for President's Rule, we'll give them a befitting reply," RJD sources told ANI.
"There'll be no differences on allotment of portfolios," the RJD sources said adding that their government will give first priority to unemployed youth.
What's happening in Bihar politics?
Nitish Kumar split with ally BJP for the second time in eight years and is likely to meet Governor Phagu Chauhan later in the day.
Reportedly, a meeting of the RJD-led Grand Alliance, comprising the Left and the Congress, also took place at Rabri Devi's house, across the street from the chief minister's residence where all the MLAs are said to have signed a letter of support to Kumar.
Also the CM is understood to have told party legislators and MPs, at a meeting he convened at his official residence, that he had been driven against the wall by the BJP which tried to weaken his JD(U), first by propping up Chirag Paswan's rebellion and later through the party's former national president RCP Singh.
The BJP, meanwhile, has gone into a huddle at the residence of Deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad, where all ministers belonging to the party besides state president Sanjay Jaiswal and other senior leaders are also present.
In the state assembly, which has an effective strength of 242, requiring 121 MLAs for a majority, the RJD has the highest number of 79 MLAs followed by the BJP (77) and the JD(U) with 44.
The JD(U) also enjoys the support of four MLAs of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha and an Independent.
The Congress has 19 MLAs while the CPIML(L) has 12 and CPI and CPI(M) have two each.
Besides, one MLA belongs to Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM.
(With agency inputs)
