Kolkata: In the midst of the party`s ongoing spat with JD(U), BJP on Tuesday said that there was no threat to the alliance in Bihar and there was no immediate dispute between the two.
"There is no threat to the alliance in Bihar and it is on. There is also no immediate dispute," BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said here today.
He was asked about the future of the alliance in the wake of strained ties arising out of Kumar`s continued opposition to Narendra Modi as BJP`s prime ministerial candidate for 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Asked whether BJP would project Narendra Modi as the party`s PM candidate, he said "the decision will be taken by the party`s parliamentary board at an appropriate time. But the Congress is not saying who will be their candidate."
On today`s attack on BJP by Kumar who said that the job of the railway ministry was to look after safety issues and not to deal with those related to law and order which is the subject of the state, Hussain sought to downplay it saying that Kumar was reacting to statements made by RJD president Lalu Prasad.
"This has been widely debated in the Parliament and media and BJP will not say anything more," he said.
Hussain said that forming alliances for the 2014 general elections was a process where many parties would join the NDA.
"For 2014 general elections, many parties would join the NDA and talks are on with others. I am not authorised take the names now," Hussain said when asked whether BJP was trying to reach out to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose party Trinamool Congress quit the Congress-led UPA government.
He, however, said "there is no talk with Mamata Banerjee at the moment for joining NDA."
Trinamool was a part of the NDA during Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Attacking the UPA on issues like inflation and corruption including coalgate, he said that the `minority` government was "supported by three allies, namely SP, BSP and the CBI party."
Ruling out the possibility of the formation of a third
front at the Centre, Hussain said, "If anyone can replace the UPA, it is the BJP-led NDA. The fight will be between the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll."
"Those who are talking about a Third Front are simply day-dreaming," he said, adding that without the BJP or Congress it was not possible for anyone to touch the magic figure of 272 seats (required to form the government).
Accusing the UPA of indulging in corruption, he demanded the resignation of Law minister Ashwini Kumar for allegedly covering up the coalgate scam and demanded an independent inquiry.
Alleging that the Congress was practising pressure politics on both who were with them and who were not, Hussain said that the government was misusing the CBI and "it was acting as a machinery to save the government."
Stating that the Congress should fight terrorism with all vigour, Hussain said that his party would give full support in the fight.
He also criticised the recent attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state finance minister Amit Mitra when they were on an official visit to the Planning Commission.
PTI
