BJP puts off decision on Nitish govt

BJP top brass made it clear to the JD(U) leadership that it was not willing to play second fiddle anymore.

With differences emerging in the BJPs Bihar unit over continuation of the alliance with the JD(U),the partys central leadership on Tuesday decided to buy time to cool the tempers. Although in a fire-fighting mode to salvage the alliance,the BJP top brass also made it clear to the JD(U) leadership that it was not willing to play second fiddle anymore.

While first signs of the BJPs intention to bury the hatchet came with Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi signalling his intention to attend the next phase of Nitish Kumars Vishwas Yatra,fresh irritants appeared when a Bihar police team visited Surat to question the businessman who had put out the newspaper advertisements hailing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

The BJP reacted angrily and it is learnt that senior leader Venkaiah Naidu took up the issue with JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav. Sources said the team was called back but it added fuel to demands for snapping of ties. BJP chief Nitin Gadkari held a meeting with the entire leadership of the state and decided to consult all central leaders before formulating a line. Sources said the Bihar leadership was divided on the question of continuation of alliance.

Though Gadkari would visit Nagpur on Wednesday to attend a pre-scheduled function,he is likely to take the RSS leadership into confidence on the issue. On his return from Nagpur,the BJP chief would consult other central leaders and then take a decision. He has not taken any decision so far, party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

Sources in the BJP said the party was willing to swallow the insults heaped on it by Nitish Kumar,but it apprehends the JD(U) to do an encore of the pressure tactics when it comes to seat-sharing in the forthcoming Assembly elections. In fact,there is a feeling in the party that by taking an aggressive stand Nitish was preparing the ground to play hardball to wrest more seats from the BJP. The party had contested in 103 seats last time around and wants to retain the same number.

It is learnt that the BJP has conveyed to the JD(U) that it wants the alliance to continue but would not accept changes in the 2005 seat-sharing pattern or any other conditions. By that it meant that the JD(U) should not insist that Narendra Modi and Varun Gandhi should not be fielded for campaigning for elections.

Sources said senior leader Venkaiah Naidu has conveyed the partys view to JD(U) leader and NDA convener Sharad Yadav. The BJP maintains that it was its prerogative to draw up the list of leaders who it wants to campaign in Bihar. At the same time,sources said there was every possibility that the BJP would not field Modi or Varun at all for electioneering but would like to project it as its own decision.

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The BJP does not work on conditions laid down by its allies. We made it clear that the party will decide who will campaign for the party in the elections. We have not sought any advise from anyone, Hussain said.

Earlier in the day,in Patna,five of the nine BJP ministers did not attend the Bihar Cabinet meeting. While three of them,including the Deputy Chief Minister,were in New Delhi,the remaining two were out of the state capital.

While PHED Minister Ashwini Choubey and Health Minister Nand Kishore Yadav accompanied Modi to Delhi,Cooperative Minister Giriraj Singh and Animal and Fisheries Minister Ramnarain Mandal were out of Patna.

Four BJP ministers Prem Kumar (Road Construction),Renu Devi (Youth Affairs,Arts and Culture),Rampravesh Rai (Tourism) and Awadhesh Narain Singh (Labour Resources) were present at the meeting. Sources said Modi would resume his Vishwas Yatra with Kumar at some places. (With ENS Patna)