Blow to Mahagathbandhan as three MLAs sit with BJP in Bihar Assembly.
Patna: The INDIA bloc and the Mahagathbandhan suffered a major blow on Tuesday after three MLAs from the RJD and Congress defected to the BJP.
During the ongoing budget session proceedings in the Bihar assembly, three MLAs Siddhartha Saurabh and Murari Gautam from the Congress and Sangeeta Devi from the RJD –sat on the sides of the ruling benches.
After this incident, the political situation in Bihar has once again become tense. Previously two other RJD MLAs Chetan Anand and Neelam Devi had switched to the NDA during the floor test earlier this month.
In light of these events, there are speculations that several MLAs from the RJD and Congress are in touch with the BJP leadership and may defect soon. Responding to the development, leaders of the Mahagathbandhan have charged the BJP of using central agencies and other methods to dismantle opposition parties as part of their “Operation Lotus”.
Talking to reporters outside the assembly, Congress MLA Siddhartha Saurabh said that he has been impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work and said “I will do what is best for the country”.
Siddhartha Saurabh had also opted out of the Hyderabad trip when the Congress MLAs were taken there before the trust vote in the Bihar assembly earlier this month.
The move also came as a major jolt to Tejashwi Yadav who had earlier repeatedly claimed that the Mahagathbandhan would do “Khela (change the game)” in Bihar ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
The development also comes at a time when Tejashwi Yadav is trying to mobilize voters through his statewide “Jan Vishwas Yatra”. The RJD has also planned a massive rally in Patna on March 3 which many top INDIA-bloc leaders including Lalu Yadav, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others are expected to attend.
“All those who have jumped ship are traitors. Only they can say why they switched sides. The voters are watching these things and they will give their reply during the elections”, Congress MLA Shakeel Ahmed Khan said.
The Congress leader also said that the party would soon initiate tough action against those who have been in touch with the BJP.
Responding to the development, BJP leader Sanjay Mayukh said, “Members of other parties are joining the BJP because they are impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s developmental work. Our party believes in Sabka Saath Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Vikas”.
