New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has formally invited Nitish Kumar headed Janata Dal (United) to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The development comes a day after the Bihar Chief Minister had a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah in the national capital on Friday.
Confirming about the formal invite, Shah on Saturday tweeted, "I met JD(U) president Nitish Kumar at my residence yesterday. I invited JD(U) to join the NDA."
JD(U) sources said the party is expected to announce its decision to formally join the BJP-led NDA in its national executive meeting on 19 July in Patna.
The Janata Dal-United president Nitish Kumar on July 26 snapped ties with the Grand Alliance of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress.
The JD(U) has 12 members in Parliament, two in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha.
Its leader in the Rajya Sabha Sharad Yadav has rebelled against the alliance with the BJP but apparently does not enjoy much support among other party's lawmakers.
The JD(U) on Friday suspended its rebel MP Ali Anwar Ansari for taking part in a meeting of opposition parties convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Party leader KC Tyagi said Ansari has been "suspended from the parliamentary party" for attending the meeting.
Schedule of BJP National President Shri @AmitShah's first day programs in Karnataka during his 3-day Vistrit Pravas. pic.twitter.com/IQ6EebRLcP
— BJP (@BJP4India) August 12, 2017
