The Janata Parivar on Wednesday reached out to President Pranab Mukherjee, seeking his intervention to diffuse the crisis in Bihar.

Leaders of SP, RJD and JD(U) —Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav — paraded about 128 MLAs at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and alleged that the ruling party at the Centre is trying to destabilise the Bihar government.

Nitish said the BJP was behind the “drama” in Bihar. The 128 MLAs have unanimously selected him as the leader and he will stake claim for the Chief Minister’s chair after a floor test, he added.

The BJP, apparently on a back foot after the Delhi poll defeat, claimed the party has no role in the Bihar issue. There are indications that the BJP may not precipitate crisis in the State and may even abstain from voting if CM Jitan Ram Manjhi seeks a vote of confidence.

“BJP expects that Nitish Kumar should have faith in constitutional authorities and wait. When Manjhi is asked to prove his majority, the BJP will take its decision,” party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Before meeting the President, the Janata Parivar leaders held a meeting at Sharad Yadav’s residence.

Earlier, in an apparent setback to Nitish, the Patna High Court virtually stayed his recognition as the leader of the JD(U) Legislature Party.

“We intend to examine the legal implication of the letter issued by in-charge Secretary of Assembly (recognising Nitish Kumar as leader of JD(U) Legislature Party) so that the letter should have no legal consequences for a decision by the Governor,” a HC bench said in its order.

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