In a major setback to Grand Alliance in Bihar, former MP Ranjan Prasad Yadav, once a close aide of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has joined the BJP. The move is seen as a bid by BJP to make a dent in Alliance’s Yadav vote bank. Ranjan Yadav quit JD(U) in June this year after Nitish Kumar joined hands with RJD.
In other development, 3 JD (U) MLAs Sunil Pandey, Sahid Ali khan and Shyam Bihari Prasad have resigned from the party. These MLAs will contest elections on other parties’ tickets.