New Delhi: With differences emerging within
the JD(U) over the Women`s Reservation Bill, the party on Wednesday
expressed hope that the divergent views of its chief Sharad
Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would not lead to
a split.
"There could be different opinions in the party on the
issue. This can happen in any party. But this would not lead
to a split," JD(U) spokesman and Rajya Sabha member Shivanand
Tiwari told reporters outside Parliament House.
While Yadav is against the Bill in the present form and
wants quota for Muslim, OBC and dalit women within 33 per
cent, Kumar has backed reservation for women in Lok Sabha and
state assemblies.
Tiwari said elections are there in Bihar later this year
and all party members will have to work to strengthen the
party in the state.
"All of us want that the party remains united. Due to
unity we won so many seats in the state in the last Lok Sabha
elections. Only this unity will lead us to victory in the
assembly elections," he said.
The JD(U) members in the Rajya Sabha voted for the
Bill yesterday. Sharad Yadav is a member of the Lok Sabha and
had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday along with
Lalu Prasad of RJD and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav opposing
the Bill in its present form.
Nitish admits differences, rules out split in JD(U)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today admitted that sharp differences prevailed in the JD(U) over the Women`s Reservation Bill, but ruled out any crisis or split facing the party.
"I admit there have been honest differences of opinion in the party over the support to the women`s reservation bill in Lok Sabha...but it should not be taken as a crisis or split
facing the party," Kumar told reporters here.
On a section of media suggesting that he might break away from the JD(U) and launch a new party, Kumar said, "I simply ignore such report."
"My point of view on the bill is quite crystal clear... Bihar is the first state which under the rule of NDA provided 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayati raj
institutions and urban bodies," he said.
"Since the Centre and other states are adopting the decision of the state`s NDA government for ensuring reservation to women, with the experience I received from the
desires and aspirations of women running Panchayati Raj institutions and urban bodies effectively, I can never shy away from supporting a similar move by the Centre," he said.
Bureau Report
