Political turmoil in Bihar after JDU leader Tyagi's 'elder brother' statement

JDU leader's remark assumes significance amidst speculation in political circles here that the JD(U), which has only two Lok Sabha members, might press for a seat-sharing arrangement commensurate with its strength in the Bihar assembly

File image of Modi and Nitish/ PTI

Bihar:  A political turmoil blanketed JDU-BJP led Bihar, after a statement came from the former party which said that they would play the role of an elder brother in the Lok Sabha elections. The statement came after the party held a meeting at Nitish’s residence in Patna on Sunday. After a meeting of senior party leaders, JDU leader told ABP News that “JDU is BJP’s elder brother in Bihar”.  Tyagi this cleared that the party would play the role of an elder brother and would want more seats in the Lok Sabha polls. Bihar Assembly has 81 RJD seats, 70 JDU seats, 53 seats of BJP, 27 seats of Congress, 2 LJP seats and 2 seats of RLSP. Speaking on the same Bihar Deputy CM Susheel Kumar Modi had earlier said that there is no question of elder brother or younger brother, as Nitish is Bihar’s leader and PM Modi is national leader and both will together fight 2019 Lok Sabha polls. JD(U) national general secretaries K C Tyagi and Pavan Varma, who arrived from New Delhi, poll strategist Prashant Kishor and a few other state leaders took part in the meeting. The meeting assumes significance as the BJP-led NDA, which the JD(U) joined in August last year, is scheduled to hold a meeting in Bihar on June 7. During the NDA meeting, to be attended by Kumar, the coalition partners are likely to discuss their strategy in the state for the next Lok Sabha polls. Emerging out of the chief minister's residence after the meeting, Varma told reporters that Kumar "is the face of the NDA in Bihar, that is why he is the chief minister. JD(U)is the largest constituent of the coalition". Varma's remark assumes significance amidst speculation in political circles here that the JD(U), which has only two Lok Sabha members, might press for a seat-sharing arrangement commensurate with its strength in the Bihar assembly where it has about 70 MLAs against nearly 50 of the BJP.