JD(U)’s Sunday lunch invitation to its erstwhile partner, the BJP, has set the political pot boiling in Bihar, with the party engaging in a angry exchange with the Congress, its partner in the Mahagathbandhan or ‘Grand Alliance’. While the Congress asked the JD(U) why it felt the “need and urgency” to invite BJP this year, the party responded by saying “certain things should be seen beyond the prism of politics” and that the Congress was “free to take its decision” on whether to turn up for lunch. The RJD has chosen to stay away from the exchange, with RJD chief Lalu Prasad reiterating that all is well with the alliance. Late evening, PTI quoted Bihar JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh as saying that Sunday’s lunch stood cancelled following the boat mishap. On Saturday, the JD(U) had invited BJP leaders to the residence of Basistha Narayan Singh for a dahi-chura feast to mark Makar Sankranti. This is the first such invitation in over three years since the two parties ended their alliance in 2013. The RJD held a dahi-chura feast at party leader Rabri Devi's residence on Saturday. Reacting to the JD(U)'s invitation to BJP, state Congress president and education minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary said, “The JD(U) state president should explain why they chose to invite the BJP when no one from the party was invited last Makar Sankranti and the year before. Only he can explain the need and urgency for inviting BJP this year.” Asked whether Congress will attend, Choudhary said they would “decide later”. BJP legislature party leader and former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi responded warmly to JD(U)'s invitation. “JD(U) has called us and invited us for lunch with due respect. We will surely attend,” he said. When told about Choudhary’s reaction, Sushil Modi joked, “We hope nothing goes wrong, like in 2010, when the dinner got cancelled.” In 2010, angry about an advertisement released by a Gujarat BJP that showed him and Modi together, Nitish had cancelled a dinner planned for leaders of the JD(U)'s then ally, BJP. Reacting to Congress's objection, Singh said, “Ashok Choudhary must not see everything through the prism of politics. Certain things should be above politics and the Congress leader better learn this.” JD(U)'s bonhomie with BJP is continuing since Nitish Kumar supported the Centre on demonetisation. The BJP had responded to JD(U)'s gesture, with the PM praising prohibition in Bihar.
