No division in party, Nitish decision acceptable to all: JD(U)

New Delhi, Aug 08: A day ahead of a key meeting of party MPs and MLAs, the Janata Dal (United) on Monday said whatever decision is taken under the leadership of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be accepted by everyone in the organisation.

JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi also asserted that there was no question of any kind of division or split within the party. "Nitish Kumar is the undisputed leader of the JD(U). He commands respect in the rank and file of the party. Therefore there is no question of any kind of split in the party. Whatever decision is taken by the party under Nitish Kumar's leadership will be accepted by everyone," he said.

Kumar has convened a meeting of JD(U) MLAs and MPs on Tuesday to discuss the scenario that has emerged following the exit of former national president RCP Singh, party chief Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said on Monday. However, it comes amid visible signs of fissures in the party's ties with the BJP with Kumar skipping a number of official meetings where he was to be present with top BJP leaders.

Ties between the two parties have frayed, after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped the Niti Aayog meeting, and his party the JD(U) announced that it will not send any representative to the central cabinet. This follows a series of disagreements between them over a host of issues including caste census, population control and the 'Agnipath' defence recruitment scheme.

Meanwhile, the opposition RJD on Monday said it was ready to "embrace" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) if he broke ranks with the BJP.

RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said that convening meetings of legislators by both parties on Tuesday were a clear indication that the situation was extraordinary.

"Personally, I am not aware of the goings on. But we cannot ignore the fact that both parties, which together had sufficient numbers to muster a majority, have convened such meetings when an assembly session is not round the corner," Tiwary told reporters here.

"If Nitish chooses to dump NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him ('gale lagaenge'). RJD is committed to fighting the BJP. If the chief minister decides to join this fight, we will have to take him along," said Tiwary.

Even the Left has extended its support to JD(U) if it breaks up with its ally BJP in Bihar.

The CPIML(L), which is the largest Left party in Bihar with 12 MLAs, said that it "will extend a helping hand" if JD(U) ditches the BJP and set up or join a new coalition.

The CPI(M) - the larger party nationally but with two legislators in the state - felt that "if a new alignment were to take place, it would be a positive development".