In a significant political development in Bihar, all the three MLAs of Bihar minister Mukesh Sahani-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) quit the party on Wednesday and joined BJP.
According to the reports, the three MLAs from Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) – Rajoo Kumar Singh from Sahebganj, Mishri Lal Yadav from Alinagar and Swarna Singh from Gaura Bauram, quit the party and extended their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The three legislators met Bihar Vidhan Sabha Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on Wednesday to submit their letter of support in favour of the BJP.
Later in the day, Bihar BJP president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, deputy CMs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi welcomed the three former VIP MLAs into the party fold. The VIP is an ally of the ruling NDA comprising BJP, Janata Dal-United (JDU) and the Hindustan Awami Morcha (HAM). VIP chief Mukesh Sahani currently serves as the Minister for Animal husbandry and fisheries resources in the Nitish Kumar cabinet.
It is important to note that VIP had won four seats in the 2020 Bihar elections, while Mukesh Sahani had lost his own and was later given an MLC seat.
The resignation of three MLAs from the party came hours after the VIP chief visited Bihar’s Muzaffarpur to attend the filing of nomination of Geeta Kumari, who has been fielded as the VIP candidate for the by-election to the Bochaha assembly seat. The seat fell vacant after the death of VIP MLA Musafir Paswan.
Meanwhile, a few BJP leaders have asked Sahani to resign from the minister’s post. Sahani was on the target of the BJP leadership ever since he decided to field candidates against the BJP in seven seats in the upcoming legislative council election in the state. The VIP chief had also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, angering the BJP leadership.
With the joining of the three MLAs, the total number of saffron party MLAs has risen to 77 from the existing 74, making it the single largest party in Bihar. Earlier RJD was the single largest party with 75 MLAs.
