RJD weans away four AIMIM MLAs in Bihar; becomes largest party again

Four out of five AIMIM MLAs on Wednesday joined RJD, making it the largest party in the 243-member Bihar assembly.

Leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav, who is now RJD's de facto leader, took the four MLAs to the assembly in a car he himself drove. Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha was handed over a communication announcing the MLAs' desire to be treated as a separate group and their merger with RJD, thereby raising the party's strength in the House to 80, three more than that of BJP.

The MLAs who have joined RJD are Shahnawaz Alam (Jokihat), Anzar Nayeemi (Bahadurpur), Izhar Asfi (Kochadhaman) and Ruknudiin Ahmad (Baisi).


"The AIMIM MLAs had expressed their willingness to join RJD. Today we met the Speaker and submitted their letter requesting for merger," Yadav told media persons after meeting the Speaker. Later, the leaders also met RJD president Lalu Prasad.

"These MLAs have not only betrayed the party but also the people who trusted them. The people will give them a befitting reply in elections," Akhtarul Imam, the lone AIMIM MLA, told media persons.

BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ET that "Despite becoming the largest party, RJD will never form the government. This number does not mean anything."