New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday attended the Governor's high tea ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on the occasion of the Republic Day. However, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav of RJD skipped the event amid speculations of a rift in the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in the state.
The high tea was organised on the occasion of the Republic Day.
Speculations are rife about JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar once again breaking ties with the RJD and other Mahagathbandhan partners in Bihar to form a government with the BJP-led NDA.
The seat next to that of Kumar was occupied by senior JD(U) leader and minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary. Leader of the opposition in the assembly, Vijay Kumar Sinha of the BJP, sat next to Choudhary and was seen exchanging pleasantries with Kumar and Choudhary.
When asked why Deputy CM Yadav did not attend the official event at Raj Bhavan, Bihar CM said, "Ask those who did not come."
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi said that he was aware that the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government will not last for long in the state.
"I was aware since starting that the alliance (RJD-JD (U)) will fall apart like a deck of cards," he told ANI.
Though education minister and national general secretary of the RJD Alok Kumar Mehta was among the attendees, Yadav and many other party leaders, including Speaker Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, did not turn up, reported PTI.
Speculations are rife that Kumar was unhappy with the Mahagathbandhan, which includes the Congress and the RJD with three Left parties supporting the government from outside, and is planning a return to the BJP-led NDA.
However, the JD(U) leaders have also been maintaining that the party was "firmly with" the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc.