PATNA/new delhi: : Over a dozen ruling JD(U) legislators met at the residence of dropped minister Monazir Hassan on Wednesday, in an apparent bid to express their discontent over the recent Cabinet reshuffle in the state.

Most of the legislators who turned up for the meeting were either dropped from the Cabinet during the April 13 reshuffle or aspirants who could not secure a ministerial berth. Though the leaders ruled out any “rebellion”, they tried to send across a message to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Asked about the meeting, Hassan remarked: “The MLAs had come to express their sympathy for me. Nothing more.” Hassan claimed over 20 legislators had turned up.

Interestingly, the meeting came a day after Hassan and another MLA Poonam Yadav were served showcause notices by the party for their “anti-party” statements. While Yadav had remarked that all those dropped ministers were corrupt, Hassan had shot back and demanded a CBI probe into the assets of all the ministers, including the CM. Ever since he was dropped from the Cabinet, Hassan has been trying to communicate his anger to the leadership.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, the BJP leadership deferred a final decision on the Bihar crisis till the completion of the Karnataka elections. Party general secretary Arun Jaitley told the media after its parliamentary board meeting that all sides had been asked to maintain discipline till the state elections. The board couldn’t take a final call on Sushil Kumar Modi after national general secretary Ram Lal spoke against any “immediate and direct” action against him. “Now that the leadership is seized of the matter, we would like to wait and watch. After all we cannot weaken the party,” said a leading rebel leader. The rebel camp is expecting another dozen legislators to join them in Delhi on Thursday.