It was free for all in the Bihar Assembly on Tuesday. The members, both male and female, of the ruling and the Opposition parties almost came to blows as they trooped in the well of the House from both sides. They elbowed and pushed each other, banged the reporter’s tables, shouted slogans and even ‘misbehaved’ with women members.

Nobody was sure what the provocation was but the leaders of both the ruling and the Opposition parties said that the key to the chaotic and disorderly scenes was demonetisation. With BJP members raising slogans accusing Sonia Gandhi, lalu Prasad and Arvind Kejriwal as supporters of black money, the Congress and RJD members mounted counter attack on BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Some women members from both sides who were in the well of the Assembly accused the male members of the rival parties of misbehaving with them, pushing them and hurting them.

Gayatri Devi of BJP accused RJD and Congress MlAs of breaking her bangle and hitting with chair while Prema Choudhary of RJD alleged her arm was twisted by BJP members. Both of them showed their ‘injuries’ to the media, sat on dharna and protested while male members of their respective parties advised them next course of action.

The BJP members sat on dharna after the adjournment of the sitting till Wednesday outside the chamber of Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary raising slogans. Again the members of RJD and Congress reached there to show their lung power.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped the post-lunch session when chaos broke out as he slipped out after an uncharitable remark by former CM and RJD MlC Rabri Devi. In the premises of the legislature when media asked her on the fact that while Nitish was in support of demonetisation, her party opposed it, she made some remarks involving Nitish and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. Her statement was condemned by both JD(U) and BJP. However, later she withdrew her remarks saying she said it as a joke.

Even as RJD and Congress are not very comfortable with the stand of Nitish on demonetisation, its leaders as well those of JD(U) denied any rift in the grand alliance and accused BJP of attempting to create differences.

Nitish on Monday evening at the meeting of the JD(U) legislators said attempts were being made for the ‘political assassination’ by spreading canard that he was getting closer to the BJP. He also denied having any contact with either PM Modi or BJP president Amit Shah. He said his stand was being misunderstood.