New Delhi: Bihar CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar has asserted that attempts were made to break his party before he walked away from the grand alliance on July 26 and formed new coalition government with the BJP.

"Many of our MLAs were approached and offered enticements to break the JD(U). The game was played for two weeks before July 26. They tried their best to break my party, but fortunately, all the JD(U) MLAs who were approached came to me and disclosed who approached them and what offers were given," Nitish said in Patna.

Nitish, however, avoided from taking the name of any party or leader who approached the JD(U) MLAs.  The Bihar CM said they tried all possible methods to lure the MLAs, but not a single JD(U) legislator was ready to go with them. "Today, our all 71 MLAs are with us and they are firm with the party's decision to form new government with the BJP," he said.

To a question, Nitish categorically denied having prior talks with the BJP for forming next government in Bihar after coming out of the grand alliance. "People may not believe. But I had no prior talk on the issue of forming government with the BJP. I had not expected support from the BJP even when I was going to the Raj Bhavan on the evening of July 26 to submit my resignation as the grand alliance's chief minister," he said.

Recalling the eventful day of July 26, Nitish said the turning point came after the RJD legislator party, which held its meeting at former CM Rabri Devi's residence at around 12 noon, decided that former deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav would neither resign not give any explanation to public on the charges of corruption levelled against him by the BJP.