JD(U) MLA files formal complaint over horse trade with party member

An MLA from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) has filed a formal complaint (FIR) against a fellow party member, claiming that he was promised a cabinet position and a bribe of Rs 10 crore in exchange for defecting to the RJD-led “Mahagathbandhan” before the trust vote.

According to Krishna Murari Prasad, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Law and Order), Patna, Sudhanshu Shekhar, who represents the Harlakhi seat of the Madhubani district, filed the charge at the Kotwali police station here.

“On February 11, the MLA filed his complaint. We have started an inquiry and filed a complaint under the applicable IPC provisions,” Prasad said.

JD(U) notes the NDA government wins the confidence vote in Bihar; Tejashwi urges PM Modi to guarantee Nitish won’t do another U-turn.
On Monday, the confidence vote was won by Kumar’s newly formed NDA administration.

Prior to the vote of confidence, three members of the RJD, the biggest element of the Mahagathbandhan, had defected to the governing coalition.

The deputy SP, however, said that the JD(U) MLA has claimed that a party colleague has offered him the princely sum in exchange for helping the opposition party turn the tables on the BJP-led coalition, or else settle for a cabinet seat in the next administration.

In addition, the complainant has said that another JD(U) MLA attempted to abduct two other party lawmakers in order to keep them from voting in the trust vote. We are investigating every facet of the situation,” Prasad said.