Jabalpur: Saying that former ally BJP was a much-changed party now, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav on Thursday alleged that it was "corporate pressure" which had prompted it to name Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.
"BJP has named Modi as its prime ministerial candidate under the pressure of corporate sector. These days, corporate culture is the order of the day in BJP," Yadav alleged.
Hinting at growing polarisation within the saffron party, Yadav said, "BJP has resorted to its previous ideology and is no longer following the ideology of ex-prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior leader LK Advani."
Advani, who had stubbornly opposed Modi`s anointment, seems to have reconciled himself to the decision as he has now praised the Gujarat Chief Minister for carrying out "development work" in his home state, Yadav said.
"India is a country of different languages and cultures. Only secular governments can be formed here. After the general elections, neither UPA nor BJP would be able to come to power. A new front would form the government at the Centre," he said.
He said JD(U) had taken the call to sever its 17-year-old alliance with BJP following "ongoing developments" in the saffron party. "BJP has now become a party of different voices," he alleged.
Talking about the recent violence in Muzaffarnagar and the naming of politicians as accused for having incited the people, Yadav said action should be taken against all responsible.
A Muzaffarnagar court yesterday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against a BSP MP, two MLAs each of BJP and BSP and 11 other political and community leaders for allegedly inciting communal violence that claimed the lives of 47 people.
Reacting to the high drama yesterday in front of Uttar
Pradesh Assembly where BJP leaders and workers, led by Uma Bharti, tried to stall the possible arrest of a BJP MLA for his alleged role in inciting Muzaffarnagar riots, Yadav said Bharti "now is left with no work".
He made light of the rally Modi is supposed to address in Bhopal on September 25, for which people would have to buy a Rs 5 ticket, saying,
"Usually, people go to theatre after purchasing tickets".
Referring to poll surveys, the JD(U) chief said they were meant for European countries and "had no relevance in India where rural and tribal voters who form the majority normally remain silent (as respondents to such surveys)".
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.