After Jharkhand, Bihar Congress MLAs also land in Hyderabad

Days after Jharkhand MLAs landed in Hyderabad, the Congress on Sunday shifted most of its MLAs from Bihar to the Telangana capital to foil any poaching attempt by the BJP-led NDA.

At least 16 MLAs of the total 19 party MLAs arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and were escorted to a resort in Rangareddy district on the outskirts of Hyderabad and are likely to stay there till February 11. Three MLAs - Sidhartha, Abidur Rahman and Vijay Shankar Dubey - have not gone due to health reasons.

The Congress, which is in power in Telangana, has made arrangements for MLAs' stay. The development comes amid poaching fears ahead of the trust vote in Bihar Assembly on February 12.

The newly-formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has been asked by the Governor to prove its majority on the floor of the house.

The Congress is now the second largest constituent of 'Mahagathbandhan' which lost power after Chief Minister and JD-U President Nitish Kumar returned to the NDA.

The remaining MLAs are also likely to reach Hyderabad on Monday.

On Saturday, the Congress top leadership had called its Bihar MLAs to to Delhi where they met party President Mallikarjun Kharge. Following that, they were sent to Hyderabad on a chartered plane.

RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav had also asked the Congress leadership to keep tabs on its MLAs after the formation of the NDA government on January 28 but as the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of Rahul Gandhi was about to reach the state's Kishanganj the next day, they stayed in the state till January 31 and went to Jharkhand followed by Delhi and now, Hyderabad.

The Bihar MLAs arrived in Hyderabad on a day when Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Congress MLAs have reportedly returned to Ranchi after a three-day stay in Hyderabad. About 40 MLAs of the two parties had reached Hyderabad on February 2 by two chartered aircraft. They were also staying at a resort on the city outskirts.

Jharkhand's new government led by Champai Soren is likely to face the floor test in the state Assembly on Monday. JMM leader Champai Soren took oath as Jharkhand Chief Minister on Friday, two days after the arrest of Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.

(With inputs from IANS)