Nitish expected to part ways with the BJP this weekend

Bihar: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU) is expected to part ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP and end the 18-year alliance this weekend, sources have told NDTV. A final decision on snapping ties could be taken at a JDU meeting in Patna on Saturday. BJP President Rajnath Singh is scheduled to arrive in the state capital on June 23. Sources say all that's left between the two sides is the handling of exit formalities. Ahead of Mr Singh's arrival, the BJP in Bihar held an emergency meeting last evening to discuss its strategy for the break-up and after. The BJP reportedly wants Mr Kumar to resign as Chief Minister first and then meet the Governor to stake claim to form the government again. Yesterday, senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and LK Advani phoned Mr Kumar; but sources say he did not reassure them that he will rethink his decision to end the alliance. Making it clear that he's ready to move on, Mr Kumar in fact confirmed to reporters yesterday that he is in talks with two other regional powerhouses - West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik - about attempts to assemble a "federal" or Third Front to take on the coalitions led by the BJP and the Congress in the national election. Nitish Kumar and his party are unhappy with Narendra Modi's elevation as chairman of the BJP's campaign committee. They allege that Mr Modi didn't do enough to protect the hundreds of Muslims who were killed in the riots that ravaged Gujarat in 2002. Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has reportedly told bureaucrats not to approach him with files or ask for decisions and clearances - a virtual declaration that his party accepts its role in the government is over. In the Bihar Assembly, the math is loaded in favour of Mr Kumar. The JD(U) needs the support of just four legislators to remain in power. Independents could ally with the party to keep it in a majority. Source: NDTV