Opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ Faces Turmoil as 3 MLAs Sit with Ruling Coalition in Bihar Assembly

GG News Bureau
Patna, 28th Feb. The opposition ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar encountered fresh turbulence as three MLAs from the Congress-RJD alliance were spotted sitting with members of the ruling coalition inside the state assembly on Tuesday.

The dramatic turn of events unfolded during the post-lunch session when RJD’s Sangita Kumari, along with Murari Gautam and Siddharth Saurav from the Congress, were seen entering the assembly alongside Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who also serves as the state BJP president.

In a surprising move, the trio took their seats on the ruling side of the assembly upon being gestured to do so by Deputy CM Choudhary. Their alignment with the ruling NDA prompted approval from legislators of the ruling coalition, evident in the resounding desk thumping.

This development comes in the wake of recent upheavals within the RJD, including the desertion of three RJD MLAs on the day the party’s senior leader and former Speaker, Awadh Bihari Chaudhary, faced a no-confidence motion vote. The subsequent victory of the new government led by JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, in alliance with the BJP, further underscored the shifting political landscape in Bihar.

Notably, the RJD has refrained from seeking disqualification of the defected MLAs, highlighting internal rifts within the party.

Additionally, this marks the first instance of rebellion within the Congress, which had previously relocated most of its MLAs to Hyderabad ahead of the trust vote to preempt a potential split.

While Congress legislative party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan denounced the defection as treachery, accusing the defectors of trading loyalty for personal gain, Siddharth Saurav defended his actions, citing personal relations with the Chief Minister and admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Responding to the crossover, JD(U) MLC and chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar suggested that the opposition MLAs may be apprehensive about being held accountable for financial irregularities during the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ regime.

Deputy CM Choudhary took a swipe at opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, alluding to his earlier remarks about a potential upheaval within the ruling coalition, indicating a sense of stability and unity within the NDA.