In a significant move, Congress legislators from Bihar, who attended a meeting in Delhi called by the party’s national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, have been sent to Hyderabad, as per reports. It is suggested that the decision to place Congress MLAs in a resort in Hyderabad was taken to prevent any potential defections. The move echoes a similar strategy employed earlier with Jharkhand legislators.
Confirmation from Pradesh Congress President
Confirming the development, Pradesh Congress President Akhilesh Prasad Singh stated that 16 out of the 19 Bihar Congress MLAs have reached Hyderabad. He added that the remaining three MLAs will join them shortly. While the total number of Congress MLAs in Bihar is 19, currently, 16 have been relocated to the resort in Hyderabad, all of whom had traveled to Delhi for the meeting.
Welcoming the Bihar Congress MLAs
Akhilesh Singh, along with other Congress leaders, welcomed the Bihar Congress MLAs at Shamshabad Airport in Telangana. Speaking to the media upon their arrival, Singh expressed that they are here to congratulate the newly formed government, meet the Chief Minister, and extend their best wishes. The 16 MLAs, including Madan Mohan Jha, were greeted at the airport.
Shift from Delhi to Hyderabad
The decision to move the legislators out of Bihar was made during the Delhi meeting on Saturday. The directive was clear that all Congress MLAs were to stay outside Bihar until February 11, with Hyderabad being chosen as the destination. Congress perceives Hyderabad as a secure location for safeguarding its members. This strategy mirrors the earlier relocation of Jharkhand’s Mahagathbandhan MLAs to Hyderabad.
Three MLAs remain absent
While all Bihar Congress MLAs were summoned to Delhi on Saturday, three of them did not attend the meeting. Siddharth, Abidur Rahman, and Vijay Shankar Dubey were not present, citing health reasons. Notably, Siddharth and Abidur Rahman were also absent from Mallikarjun Kharge’s meeting. On the other hand, Vijay Shankar Dubey returned to Bihar after the Delhi meeting. However, all three have now been instructed to join the others in Hyderabad.