Patna,(BiharTimes): Though Nitish Kumar partially succeeded in his bid to make a dent into the RJD legislature party some observers and retired officials feel that it was a planned move by the Bihar chief minister so that all 13 MLAs get disqualified.

Commenting on the whole exercise a top former Bihar official, who wished not to be quoted, told BiharTimes that “Nitish Kumar is not so naïve not to understand that it needs 15 and not 13 to cause a split. Yet he went on with this operation with a purpose. He is aware that once these 13 MLAs would be disqualified the strength of the House would be reduced to 230, instead of 243. In that case the Janata Dal (United) would be in a majority on its own.”

So even if the nine had returned to the RJD fold the Damocles’ sword hangs over all the 13 MLAs whose signed petition caused a split in the 22-member RJD legislature party in the Assembly.

While Nitish, according to some analysts, may give Lok Sabha ticket to four of these MLAs, or accommodate them in the legislative council, whose election is shortly due, the rest nine would be left high and dry. If they have signed thoughtlessly, or if the decision to return to the RJD fold is their afterthought, it is for them to pay.

When the ties with the BJP was snapped on June 16 last the Janata Dal (United) was left with just 118 MLAs. It won the trust vote on June 19 with the help of four MLAs of Congress party, four Independents and one CPI legislator.

Now after the resignation of Parween Amanullah and death of another MLA the actual strength is 116. Now in the House of 230 the Janata Dal (United) do not need any crutches to survive. The by-elections to these 13 seats would be held later and it can not be said with surety whether the RJD would win all of them.

Interestingly all these developments took place when the state BJP is finding itself in turmoil over the alliance with Lok Janshakti Party. The entire state leadership is camping in New Delhi and there is serious differences over the issue.

So barring Giriraj Singh, no other party leader, was even available to comment on the development. Giriraj, on his part, said that Nitish’s move to engineer split is illegal and he would have to pay the price for it.