Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: The fate of BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar still hangs in balance despite both the sides claiming that all issues are being sorted out amicably.
As per reports Tuesday, the JD(U) has given a tough choice to the BJP for continuing with the 15-year-old alliance. They want that Narendra Modi and Varun Gandhi be kept out of Bihar and not campaign in the state during the upcoming Assembly elections.
Party chief Saharad Yadav -one of the most vocal votary of continuing the alliance -, although did not name anyone, but gave an indication about the line of thinking in the party, he said, “The coalition will decide as to who will campaign in Bihar.”
The BJP is clearly in a catch-22 situation. On one hand it doesn’t want to let Bihar go the Orissa way but on the other hand its leaders fell that they have been humiliated by Nitish and the party should not reduce itself to being pushovers.
Party chief Nitin Gadkari, yesterday, discussed the issue with NDA working chairman LK Advani and other senior party leaders. He also met Bihar unit chief CP Thakur, spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain and general secretary (organisation) Ramlal.
Gadkari has convened a crucial meeting of the Core Group of the party`s Bihar unit today to take a final call on whether the party wants to continue with the alliance.
As per reports, Advani and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi are in favour of continuing the time-tested alliance in the run-up to the Assembly polls.
Surely, despite the differences, reconciliatory voices are getting louder within both the parties.
Moreover, the two sides, as per reports, have realised that a BJP-JD(U) alliance is indispensable in Bihar if they want to keep RJD, LJP and the Congress out.
Relations between JD(U) and BJP, which date back to 1996, were soured during the BJP national executive in Patna when Kumar had objected to an advertisement praising Narendra Modi for giving flood relief to Bihar in 2008.
Kumar had termed this claim as "uncivilised", saying any gesture of help should not be proclaimed publicly. He also vociferously objected to another advertisement showing him clasping hands with Modi, the hardline Hindutva face of key ally BJP.
Later, to the greater displeasure of the BJP, Nitish returned the Rs five check back to the Gujarat government.
