Patna, April 10: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today met RJD MLAs for a talk on his good governance agenda.

It was the first time Nitish had a meeting with RJD MLAs at a time talks for the Janata parivar merger is in final stage.

Nitish critics have been questioning his good governance agenda ever since he had a truck with the RJD. Today's exercise is being seen as a long-term move to shun the impression that with the RJD in tow, no government could carry the agenda forward.

On April 8, Nitish had called a legislature party meeting of the JDU to which RJD MLAs, too, were invited. But Nitish did not personally interact with the RJD MLAs. It was RJD legislature party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui who urged Nitish for a separate meeting. The problems in the MLAs' constituencies were part of meeting but the focus was on good governance, as the question of shaking hands with a party against whom Nitish had rallied in the past, haunts him from different corners.

"As we all are going to be one party, I met RJD MLAs this afternoon on the issue of good governance, law, and development. It was also about maintaining communal harmony in the state," Nitish said.

RJD MLA Ramanand Yadav said: "Nitish ji asked us to make a list of problems faced in or constituencies and then try to get it rectified."

The meeting, held at Samvad, lasted an hour from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Before the meeting, Nitish hosted lunch for the MLAs at the chief minister's secretariat. For some MLAs it was a first visit to Samvad. RJD MLA Abdul Gafoor confirmed with security guards before entering the premises.

Nitish did not miss a chance to attack the BJP. He said: "Everyone knows it's an election year and who we are contesting against. These people (read BJP) can go to any extent, as evident from their language. So I want to warn everybody of their intentions."

Siddiqui said: "This meeting has hastened the merger process. We have been instructed to continue the good governance in the state. Nitishji has given us responsibilities and asked us to fulfil it."

Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi termed the meeting a waste of time. He told The Telegraph: "Being with the RJD, Nitish can never think of rule of law and development as these things cannot be their agenda. The day Lalu was addressing a rally in Rohtas, the crusher mafia was sitting on the stage and later police raided the area. We all know how Lalu announced that that his sons would be his successors. People of this state understand very well that the RJD can never be an example of good governance and development."