Parties resort to dinner diplomacy ahead of CM Manjhi’s floor test
19 Feb 2015 11:42 PM GMT
“The aim of these dinners and lunches is to foster unity among the legislators before Manjhi takes the majority test on the floor of the Assembly,” a senior JD(U) leader said. The dinner diplomacy was kick-started on Tuesday evening with a feast thrown by JD U) MLC Vinod Singh at the house of former minister Gautam Singh. Both are considered close to former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been re-elected JD(U) Legislature Party leader and has staked claims to the Chief Minister’s post.
Apart from Kumar and other JD(U) legislators, senior leaders from allied parties - RJD, Congress and CPI - were seen attending the dinner, signalling the existing bonhomie among them and their support for Kumar. The series of feasts continued on Wednesday with parties thrown by RJD Legislature Party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui in the afternoon and senior JD(U) leader and former minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary in the evening.
Chaudhary was chosen the leader of JD(U) Legislature Party in the Assembly recently.
The feast hosted by RJD’s Siddique and attended by JD(U), Congress and CPI leaders besides Nitish Kumar is being viewed as an affirmation that all the allies are together.
Talking about the dinner party thrown by him, Chaudhary said, “I have been chosen the JD(U) Legislature Party leader in the Assembly for the first time, so I have invited our MLAs for a customary dinner. But it is not just a feast, it is a full-fledged, formal meeting of our legislators on the eve of the Assembly session and Confidence Vote of Jitan Ram Manjhi.”
The parties will continue on Thursday with former Sugarcane Industries Minister Ranju Gita organising one in the afternoon at her residence.
“It is one of those rare occasions when all MLAs and MLCs belonging to our party and the allies are present in Patna. I thought why not organise a get-together to mark it. It will also help enhance unity among us,” Gita said.
The BJP, which has convened its two-day legislature party meet beginning on Wednesday, is also organising feasts for its MLAs and MLCs. The meet will deliberate over the issue of support to Manjhi during his floor test.
The grand finale of dinner diplomacy will be the dinner hosted by Nitish Kumar at his official residence on Thursday evening expected to be attended by all legislators belonging to JD (U), RJD, Congress and CPI.
Apart from Kumar and other JD(U) legislators, senior leaders from allied parties - RJD, Congress and CPI - were seen attending the dinner, signalling the existing bonhomie among them and their support for Kumar. The series of feasts continued on Wednesday with parties thrown by RJD Legislature Party leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui in the afternoon and senior JD(U) leader and former minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary in the evening.
Chaudhary was chosen the leader of JD(U) Legislature Party in the Assembly recently.
The feast hosted by RJD’s Siddique and attended by JD(U), Congress and CPI leaders besides Nitish Kumar is being viewed as an affirmation that all the allies are together.
Talking about the dinner party thrown by him, Chaudhary said, “I have been chosen the JD(U) Legislature Party leader in the Assembly for the first time, so I have invited our MLAs for a customary dinner. But it is not just a feast, it is a full-fledged, formal meeting of our legislators on the eve of the Assembly session and Confidence Vote of Jitan Ram Manjhi.”
The parties will continue on Thursday with former Sugarcane Industries Minister Ranju Gita organising one in the afternoon at her residence.
“It is one of those rare occasions when all MLAs and MLCs belonging to our party and the allies are present in Patna. I thought why not organise a get-together to mark it. It will also help enhance unity among us,” Gita said.
The BJP, which has convened its two-day legislature party meet beginning on Wednesday, is also organising feasts for its MLAs and MLCs. The meet will deliberate over the issue of support to Manjhi during his floor test.
The grand finale of dinner diplomacy will be the dinner hosted by Nitish Kumar at his official residence on Thursday evening expected to be attended by all legislators belonging to JD (U), RJD, Congress and CPI.
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