Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Thursday convened a meeting of National Democratic Alliance leaders at his official residence to review the results of the recent Legislative Council polls for eight seats, The Hindu reported.
The meeting included JD(U) State president Umesh Singh Kushwaha, Deputy Chief Ministers Bijendra Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary, and BJP State president Sanjay Saraogi.
What hurt the JD(U)
Independent Bansidhar Brajwasi defeated the JD(U)'s Abhishek Jha in the Tirhut Graduates seat, and independent Rahul Raj beat the JD(U)'s Anand Pushkar in Saran Teachers. Both were later said to have joined the BJP. When that became controversial, both said they were supporting the BJP rather than joining it, according to the report.
This has caused resentment among JD(U) leaders. Sources told The Hindu that at the meeting, the JD(U) accused its ally of failing to cooperate and of trying to sabotage its candidate. These are unnamed sources' accounts, and the BJP did not respond to them in the report.
After the meeting, Saraogi told reporters it had been held to plan Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Vaishali on November 21, the day after the Choudhary government completes a year.
The JD(U)'s own review
JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha held a separate review with the candidates who lost. Candidates have been asked to submit written complaints about any lack of cooperation from BJP leaders and workers, a JD(U) leader said, and strict action is expected against anyone found involved in anti-party activities.
Why it matters
The tallies reported differ. The Hindu said the BJP won two seats, the JD(U) one, the RJD two, the Jan Suraaj Party one and independents two. India TV reported three for the BJP, one each for the JD(U), RJD and Jan Suraaj, and two for independents. Both agree that the Jan Suraaj Party won its first seat in the Council and that two independents won.
India TV also reported that five sitting MLCs lost their seats, including one each from the BJP and the Congress.