Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday expressed outrage over MLAs of his JD(U) in Manipur jumping ship to join the BJP.
Talking to reporters at the party office here, where a two-day national conclave is underway, Kumar questioned the propriety and constitutionality of the alleged poaching by his former ally.
He said the party's Manipur MLAs had confirmed their presence at the meeting, and had earlier backed JD(U)'s decision to quit the NDA.
"When we were in NDA, they (BJP) gave our MLAs nothing. Now they have been won over," said Kumar, in what appeared to be a reference to horse trading.
"Is it proper? Is it constitutional? Is it in line with established norms? They are doing so everywhere. Hence all parties must unite in 2024 for a positive mandate," said the JD(U) leader who is being pitched for a "national" role by his party.
In the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's allegation that Opposition parties were in a huddle to protect the corrupt, Nitish sarcastically said, "wWat BJP is doing to other parties is 'sadachar' but a joint fight against its brazen use of money power is 'bhrashtachar'. The Prime Minister has redefined these terms".
Nitish, reports ndtv.com added all the six Manipur MLAs had met him in Bihar and were happy at JDU's decision to leave the BJP-led NDA. "Just imagine what's happening. How they are breaking off MLAs who won from other parties. When we were in NDA, they (BJP) gave our MLAs nothing. Now they have been won over. What is this nature? What sort of act is this? Has anything like this been happening since before? This is a new thing," Bihar CM said.
"If all Opposition parties join forces then the people's mandate will be very good," he added, in a call for a united front against the BJP.
Nitish is likely to visit Delhi from September 5 and meet several Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, in his bid to bring them together to fight the BJP.
Janata Dal (United) sources said Nitish is expected to meet Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and the Left leaders among others.
The JD(U) is holding its two-day meeting of national executive and national council meeting on Saturday and Sunday.
Five JD(U) MLAs joined the ruling BJP in Manipur on Friday. The JD(U) had won six of the 38 constituencies it had contested in the assembly elections held in March.
Meanwhile, Nitish' rival and BJP leader Sushil Modi tweeted, "After Arunachal, Manipur is also JDU free. Very soon Laluji will make Bihar also JDU free."
However, JDU leader, Rajiv Ranjan Singh hit back tweeting, "Want to remind you that both in Arunachal and Manipur, JD(U) won seats by defeating @BJP4India. So don't daydream of liberation from JD(U). Was what happened in Arunachal Pradesh because of your adherence to the alliance commitment?"
The legislators who defected are Kh Joykishan, N Sanate, Md Achab Uddin, former DGP L M Khaute and Thangjam Arunkumar.