Patna, July 27: Everything was planned and scripted in advance, said JDU leaders who attended the legislature party meet presided by chief minister Nitish Kumar at 1 Aney Marg on Wednesday.
A few JDU MLAs and MLCs who attended the meet told The Telegraph on condition of anonymity that Nitish was apprehensive about some MLAs switching sides at the last minute to topple his plan of forming a government with the BJP's help.
As soon as the meeting began, Nitish entered the Lok Samvad hall and began briefing the legislators. He said too many question were being raised over Tejashwi.
"Despite repeated demands, no explanations were coming from Tejashwi's side," Nitish said. "One day I spoke to Rahul Gandhi from Ashok Choudhary's cellphone and expressed my desire to meet him. When I went to New Delhi recently to meet Rahul, another Congress leader, C.P. Joshi, was also present. But I preferred to speak to Rahul alone and Joshi was asked to leave the room." Nitish told Rahul that the RJD must come out clean over the allegation, as the CBI always files FIRs based on evidence. He also said that nothing materialised at the meet.
"After a small briefing, Nitish said he was going to resign on moral grounds, as he cannot run his government this way. He asked all MLAs and MLCs to watch television and then left the hall," said the JDU MLA.
Nitish went to Raj Bhavan, tendered his resignation and then briefed journalists for around 25 minutes. When he returned, he asked all MLAs to sign on a diary to confirm their presence, perhaps to check if anybody had left the room.
Before leaving for Raj Bhavan, Nitish had announced in the hall: "Do not worry. There will be no mid-term poll."
After his return, he watched Lalu's press conference, being telecast live. He told the lawmakers that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated him over Twitter for taking a bold step on the issue of corruption. "I've also thanked him and the Bihar BJP has extended us unconditional support," Nitish said.
There was a huge round of applause in the hall after which Nitish retired to his chamber. "Between 8 and 9pm, the Prime Minister called to congratulate Nitish ji," said another MLA. Nitish emerged from his chamber again to say dinner has been arranged for all MLAs and MLCs and they must all eat. He announced that BJP leaders, too, were joining them. He asked them to proceed for dinner, but some JDU MLAs said they would wait for the BJP leaders.
The BJP leaders began arriving around 9.30pm. The first thing Sushil Kumar Modi said when he entered the hall was: " Mujhe to ye sab sapna jaisa lag raha hai (To me, all this looks like a dream)."
Nitish then briefed the BJP and JDU leaders, saying they must now work hard for Bihar's development. He explained why he supported demonetisation and called for action against benami property. He also said that after a long time the same party would lead Bihar and the Centre.
Sushil Modi stressed on forgetting the past. BJP state unit president Nityanand Rai, Mangal Pandey, Prem Kumar, Nand Kishore Yadav. Hindustani Awam Morcha Secular (HAMS) Jitan Ram Manjhi, Raju Tiwari from the LJP and Sudhanshu Shekhar from the RLSP also spoke. Nand Kishor said: " Hum to apke aashiq hain sadiyon puraane. Chaahe app maane chaahe na mane (slightly distorting a song from a Hindi movie, meaning I am your lover since long, whether or not you believe."
"Then all top NDA leaders had dinner with Nitish on one table," said a JDU MLC. "Food for 58 people had been cooked in advance and that many chairs immediately brought. Around midnight, Nitish ji went to Raj Bhavan and asked all of us to watch television. The way things unfolded, I got the feeling everything was scripted in advance. It seems Nitishji and Prime Minister Modi had already held talks."
A few MLAs left 1 Aney Marg after Nitish returned around 1.30am but many were kept inside and allowed to go only after 4am.
"Nitish ji did this because he feared a few MLAs , especially Yadav and Muslim MLAs, might ditch him" said a JDU MLA. "Poonam Devi Yadav has already raised questions after issuing comments in support of Tejashwi."
