JD(U) on Nitish 'changing sides': firmly with INDIA bloc but want Congress to introspect

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) on Friday asserted that the party was "firmly with INDIA coalition" but wanted the Congress to do "introspection" with regard to alliance partners and sharing of seats.

State JD(U) president Umesh Singh Kushwaha made the statement, refuting rumours that his party, headed by the chief minister, was thinking of a return to the BJP-led NDA.

"All is well in Bihar's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' and the media speculations are driven by some agenda", Kushwaha told reporters.

He also said, "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".

He also made light of Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, who is in RJD, sitting far from each other at the Republic Day parade, asserting that "we are firmly with INDIA coalition".