AIMIM MLAs meet Nitish; rubbish speculations of political realignment

All five MLAs of Asaduddin OwaisisAIMIM in Bihar on Thursday met Chief Minister Nitish Kumarhere, but dismissed speculations of political realignment.

They took a jibe at the ruling JD(U)-BJP combine inBihar, likening it to a family in which the members lackedcompatibility but were unwilling to part ways.

AIMIM MLA Akhtarul Iman, who also heads the partys unitin the state where it made a splash in the recent assemblyelections by winning five seats, made the wry remark after ameeting with the chief minister.

Iman, who was previously with the chief ministers JD(U),was accompanied by the other four MLAs of his new politicalabode.

''There are families in which people are unable to co-exist peacefully but not ready to break ties either. Thisresults in the kids going astray.

''Similar is the case here. The 'kheench-taan' (tug ofwar) on political level has led the bureaucracy to run amok'',Iman said without mentioning JD(U) or BJP by the name.

He was replying to a query about what he thought aboutthe ruling coalition which has undergone a change in powerequation as a result of the BJP returning with a far greaternumber of seats than the JD(U).

When asked about the possibility of the AIMIM MLAsmeeting with Kumar giving rise to speculations about apolitical realignment in Bihar, he quipped ''it is up to themedia whether to make a mountain out of a molehill''.

It was pointed out to him that the chief ministers partyhas been making overtures to smaller players in a bid toaugment its strength and examples were cited of MLAs whorecently met Kumar and have, thereafter, ended up siding withthe NDA camp.

Zama Khan, the lone BSP MLA in Bihar, last week mergedhis party with the JD(U) while Independent legislator SumitSingh has pledged full support to Kumars government.

Moreover, the lone LJP MLA Raj Kumar Singh also met kumarearlier in the day and the development, which came barely afew days after his visit to the residence of Kumars key aideand state minister Ashok Choudhary, has fuelled speculationsthat the Matihani legislator might gravitate towards the JD(U), rebuffing his party boss Chirag Paswan.

Iman said dismissively, ''it is not for me to speak aboutwhat others are doing'', but added ''the chief ministersresidence is like a busy street through which pass all sortsof processions.

''Legislators would keep meeting for varied reasons. Thesemay be related to party politics or to their constituencies''.

He also disclosed that the AIMIM MLAs, all of whom areelected from the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region, flaggedthe issue of woeful infrastructure in the Kosi belt ''whereeven now people have to travel 50 kms or more to reach abridge and cross a river''.

''Even the chief minister was stunned when he learnt aboutthe situation on the ground. We hope, given his professedcommitment to development with justice, Seemanchal will getits due'', he added.