JDU chooses Nitish Kumar's close aide RCP Singh as party chief, amid tiff with ally BJP

In a major development, Janata Dal (United) chose Nitish Kumar's close aide - RCP Singh as its new president  on Sunday at ir National party council. Ram Chandra Pras Singh has been JDU's Rajya Sabha Member since  2010. RCP Singh-  a former bureaucrat from UP IAS cre - was also principal secretary to Nitish Kumar.  60 executive members of party met in first half of day and members of National Council met in second half at Party HQ in Patna.

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JDU chooses RCP Singh as new party chief

JD(U) is currently at a backfoot after six of its seven MLAs in Arunachal Presh Assembly quit party and joined BJP. Terming it 'against coalition dharma', JDU has maintained that BJP is an ally only in Bihar. It has asserted that it will contest against saffron party in West Bengal and Assam.

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JDU MLAs switch sides

On Friday,   Janata Dal-United received a major jolt in Arunachal Presh, with six of its seven MLAs shifting allegiance to ruling BJP, a bulletin issued by state legislative assembly said.   JD(U) MLAs who switched sides are Talem Taboh from Rumgong Assembly Constituency, Hayeng Mangfi (Chayang Tajo), Jikke Tako (Tali), Dorjee Wangdi Kharma (Kalaktang), Dongru Siongju (Bomdila) and Kanggong Taku from Mariyang-Geku constituency, bulletin said. development comes a day ahe of anuncement of panchayat and municipal poll results.

Nitish Kumar says 'will discuss in council' as 6 of 7 JDU MLAs switch to BJP in Arunachal

On vember 26, JD(U) h issued show-cause tices to Siongju, Kharma and Taku for "anti-party" activities, and suspended m. six JD(U) MLAs h earlier elected Talem Taboh as new Legislature Party leer allegedly without kwledge of senior party members. All six MLAs have joined BJP, with saffron party scrambling to defend its move.

 Calling Nitish Kumar "guardian" of NDA alliance in Bihar, Renu Devi, one of Deputy CMs in Bihar, said that development in Arunachal would t affect tie-up in Bihar. Renu Devi said, "We h t poached m (JD(U) MLAs in Arunachal Presh). What could our party have done if some legislators voluntarily expressed desire to join us?".

JD(U), led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, won seven of 15 seats it contested in 2019 assembly elections and emerged as second-largest party after BJP, which h bagged 41 seats. Following switchover, BJP w has 48 MLAs in 60-member House, while JD(U) is left with only one. Congress and National People's Party (NPP) have four members each. 

BJP attempts dam control as 6 JDU Arunachal MLAs jump ship; Nitish's camp huddles up