Amid reports that JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar may take oath as chief minister with the BJP's backing, JD(U), on Friday, asserted that the party was "firmly with INDIA coalition" even as it asked the Congress to introspect on alliance partners and sharing of seats.
State JD(U) president Umesh Singh Kushwaha refuted rumours that the party is planning to return to the NDA fold.
"All is well in Bihar's ruling Mahagathbandhan and the media speculations are driven by some agenda," Kushwaha told reporters.
"I met the CM yesterday as well as today. It is a routine affair. There is no truth in the rumours doing the rounds. We also reject the rumours that party MLAs have been asked to rush to Patna," Kushwaha said.
He, however, said, "We want the Congress, which is our alliance partner, to do some introspection with regard to its stance towards other constituents and sharing of seats. Our leader Nitish Kumar has, for long, been stressing on the need for early finalisation of seat-sharing deal so that we could concentrate on Lok Sabha polls".
The statement from the JD(U) comes even as Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the AAP ruled out pre-poll alliances with the Congress.
RJD demands clarification
Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) asked Nitish Kumar to clarify on reports that said he is in talks with the saffron party to join the NDA.
"We can only request Nitish Kumar to clear the confusion by evening. This confusion about the alliance, which is affecting the normal lives of people... from our side it is very clear. So this confusion emanating from media reports is also confusing us. You will not see any comments from our side. So I will request, he clears the confusion and 'idhar-udhar," news agency quoted RJD MP Manoj Jha as saying.
