New Delhi: Amid indications that key ally JD(U) may pull out of NDA, BJP on Wednesday said both parties should respect the voters of Bihar who elected the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government in the state twice to power.
BJP leaders said the party is clear that it will not take any step that would precipitate the break-up with JD(U) which has been giving strong feelers that it wants to walk out of NDA before the next general elections.
NDA Working Chairperson L K Advani today called up JD(U) President Sharad Yadav and Kumar to impress upon them that the alliance between the two parties should continue. JD(U) has been a part of NDA since its inception.
Asked about the status of the BJP-JD(U) alliance, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "10.5 crore people and 21 crore eyes of Bihar are looking at this alliance with hope. The voters of Bihar had not voted for any one party or leader but for the JD(U)-BJP alliance."
He maintained that the continuation of this alliance will benefit the state and the parties should not betray the voters` trust by breaking the tie-up.
The posturing by JD(U) has not come as a surprise for BJP. The annointment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the head of the BJP Election Campaign Committee- which many see as a virtual declaration of the leader as the party`s Prime Ministerial candidate- has annoyed JD(U).
Nitish Kumar, who is wooing the sizable minority votebank in Bihar, feels Modi`s Hindutva hardliner image will scare them away. He has given enough hints to BJP to declare the Prime Ministerial candidate and also said the candidate should have secular credentials.
For the record, JD(U) has said Modi`s appointment as head of the campaign committee is an internal matter of BJP.
BJP sources said the party does not want to be seen as the one initiating the break-up and efforts are still on to keep the coalition intact.
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.