JDU remembers Gujarat in Patna, may quit NDA

With BJP president L K Advani in Ranchi steering his party towards the idea of a Hindu India, an influential section of ally JDU, led by N...

With BJP president L K Advani in Ranchi steering his party towards the idea of a Hindu India, an influential section of ally JDU, led by Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav and Digvijay Singh, today passed a resolution in neighbouring Bihar demanding that the party sever its ties with the BJP.

Speaking at the meeting, Nitish said Hindutva is not good either for the country or for the BJP, and that 8216;8216;secularism is the driving force of the country8217;8217;. The JDU had joined hands with the BJP to fight the misrule of the RJD, he added, and would have no reservations breaking ties with it as long as it didn8217;t weaken their anti-Laloo Prasad Yadav vote bank.

Coming within a fortnight of an NDA declaration in Delhi that it will stay united for the coming Bihar assembly elections, today8217;s JDU resolution is indicative of its state unit8217;s increasing tilt towards Ram Vilas Paswan8217;s Lok Janashakti Party LJP.

Paswan, who had quit the NDA over the issue of Gujarat riots, has made it clear that the JDU would have to break ties with the BJP before he could consider aligning with it. Nitish himself has made no bones about how assiduously he is wooing Paswan, reiterating yesterday: 8216;8216;Even if Paswanji runs away, we will chase him and make him the state8217;s CM.8217;8217;

Today8217;s JDU resolution makes repeated reference to Gujarat riots and says not dismissing the Narendra Modi government there was a mistake. It also states that the RPF inquiry into the Godhra train fire had ruled out any conspiracy behind the incident. This is the first time Nitish, who was the railway minister at the time, has commented on the incident.

George Fernandes, who is considered close to the Sangh Parivar, was not present at today8217;s meeting. The NDA declaration reiterating unity had been piloted by Fernandes in his capacity as NDA convenor.

However, Nitish and other leaders of the JDU in Bihar are not so sure it8217;s the BJP they want to put their bet on. Talking about the issue earlier this week, Nitish had said: 8216;8216;Whatever is being told about alliances at this point is not final.8217;8217;