Patna: The Janata Dal (United) faction led by Nitish Kumar on Saturday decided to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi confirmed that a resolution to join the BJP-led NDA was unanimously approved in the national executive meeting held at Chief Minister's official residence.
According to JD(U) leaders, 70 MLAs, two Lok Sabha MPs and seven Rajya Sabha MPs attended the meeting.
The national executive gave its consent to the invitation of BJP president Amit Shah to the JD(U) to join the NDA fold, on a day when former party president Sharad Yadav led faction decided to approach the Election Commission to stake claim over the party symbol 'arrow'.
"We will soon knock on the door of the Election Commission to stake claim over the party symbol 'arrow' and inform (people) that the real party is with him (Sharad), not with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," senior JD(U) leader Arun Srivastav, who is considered close to Sharad Yadav, said.
Tyagi said that senior leader Sharad Yadav has every right to put forward his points of disagreement with the alliance, but he shouldn't attend RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's programme as it will break their trust.
"Sharad Yadav is invited for the JD(U) national executive meet and he can sort out differences, but he shouldn't attend Lalu Yadav's programme. We will lose our faith in him, if he does so. He is one of the founders of the party, therefore, he can put forward his views in the meeting," Tyagi told media here.
Tyagi's comments come as the Sharad Yadav-led JD-U is holding its Jan Adalat meeting at SK Memorial near historic Gandhi Maidan, a common man's locality here.
Earlier in the day, supporters of rival JD(U) factions headed by Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav clashed outside the residence of the Bihar chief minister here today, police said.
Riding two-wheelers without helmets, Yadav's supporters were escorting him from the airport to the SK Memorial Hall, when they stopped outside the chief minister's residence on the way and shouted slogans.
The clashes took place when some of them carrying sticks and belts tried to enter Nitish Kumar's 1, Anne Marg residence -- opposite the Raj Bhavan.
Soon, Kumar's supporters, who had gathered there for JD (U) National Executive Committee meeting came out and chased away Yadav's supporters, police said.
The JD-U last month split into two factions -- one led by Nitish Kumar and the other by Sharad Yadav -- after the Chief Minister on July 26 snapped ties with the Grand Alliance of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.
The JD(U) has 12 members in Parliament, two in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.
Its leader in the Rajya Sabha Sharad Yadav has rebelled against the alliance with the BJP but apparently does not enjoy much support among other party's lawmakers.
Earlier this week, the party suspended its 21 party leaders, including some former minister and former MLAs, for supporting former party chief Sharad Yadav during his three-day visit to the state.
The JD (U) also removed Sharad Yadav -- who opposed the party's decision to ally with the BJP in Bihar -- as their leader in the Rajya Sabha and replaced him with RCP Singh.
Yadav has voiced his opposition to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision to walk out of the Grand Alliance -- that comprised the JD-U, RJD and the Congress -- and join hands with the BJP to form the government in Bihar.
Sharad Yadav is also likely to announce his decision to attend Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's "Desh Bachao BJP Bhagao" rally here on August 27.
JD-U leaders close to Nitish Kumar have repeatedly said the party would act against Sharad Yadav if he attends the RJD rally.
