PATNA, Nov. 5 -- A day before the Janata Dal (United)'s meeting to review its legislative council poll performance, Bihar chief minister Samrat Choudhary called on former CM and party supremo Nitish Kumar. The move might be intended to warm the "chill" that ostensibly crept into JD(U)-BJP relations after two independent MLCs reportedly "switched" to the BJP. Both the MLCs were expelled from the BJP and they defeated JD(U) candidates in the polls. The chief minister apprised Kumar of a major agreement with the Centre for silt removal from rivers, a long-standing demand of his to check recurrent flooding in the state. "Over four-lakh cubic metres of silt would be removed under the pact. It is a strong testament to the unwavering commitment of the double-engine government towards Bihar's development and public welfare and since it has been very close to Nitish Kumar's heart, I briefed him about it," Choudhary said. Asserting that the agreement is the culmination of Kumar's dedicated campaign to desilt rivers across Bihar, the chief minister also conveyed congratulations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Upon returning from Delhi, Chaudhary went straight to Kumar's residence at 7 Circular Road to brief him about the historic agreement, as the former chief minister had consistently raised the demand for desilting rivers for years to rid Bihar of the scourge of recurring flood. Deputy chief minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who holds the portfolio of water resources, was also present at Nitish Kumar's residence and termed the initiative "very important" for Bihar. "We are continuously advancing Nitish Kumar's model of good governance to make Bihar a developed State and this MoU is another big step towards realising his dream of addressing the flood issue," he said. The Janata Dal (United) will hold a review meeting in Patna on Thursday to assess its performance in the recent Bihar Legislative Council elections, inviting both winning and losing candidates amid reports of discontent within the party. JD(U) spokesperson Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said that all four candidates who contested the elections will attend the meeting, where the party will also seek feedback from leaders entrusted with managing the polls. "The party has invited both the winning and losing candidates for discussions on all these issues. All four candidates will attend Thursday's review meeting. The leaders who were entrusted with the responsibility will also be asked to share their views," Prasad said....