New Delhi,

Even as Bihar CM Nitish Kumar today virtually shut the door on any reconciliation with rebel leader Sharad Yadav, saying he was free to take any decision as the alliance with the BJP had the entire party’s nod, the JD(U) suspended its Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar Ansari from the parliamentary party for attending a meeting of Opposition parties convened by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

“He (Yadav) is free to take a decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken a decision. The decision was not mine alone. It was taken with the consent of the party. If he has a different opinion, then he is free to do so,” Nitish told the media after meeting the Prime Minister.

It was his first visit to the capital after he dumped the grand alliance partners — the RJD and the Congress — and sealed a deal with the BJP. This is his first direct response to the open rebellion by Yadav.