Journalism of Courage
While the BJP leadership on Thursday appeared pandering to its partner JDU to save the alliance,the undercurrents within the saffron camp indicated that they were not keen to halt Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the tracks to save the alliance in Bihar. In fact,party general secretary in-charge of Bihar Dharmendra Pradhan took a belligerent stance against the JDU,saying the BJP had firmed up its senapati commander-in-chief for the next Lok Sabha elections. Related: Rajnath,Joshi mollify Nitish,but JDU set to walk away
I am in favour of the alliance because the people of Bihar had given the mandate to the BJP-JDU alliance to save the state from the jungle-raj of Lalu Prasad. The BJP has sacrificed so many things for this alliance, Pradhan said in an apparent reference to the BJPs projection of Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister when his party was a junior partner.
Similar sentiments were expressed by other BJP leaders as well. Only a strong BJP can be the basis of a strong coalition, BJP general secretary Murlidhar Rao tweeted indicating that strengthening the NDA was not the first priority for the BJP ahead of the elections. Our emphasis is to win maximum possible seats on our own to become a magnate for other allies after the elections, said another party functionary.
These sentiments,however,ran contrary to the days developments where top BJP leader sought to court the JDU leadership against breaking the alliance in Bihar. While Rajnath and Nitish spoke to each other,former BJP president Nitin Gadkari called on NDA convenor and JDU chief Sharad Yadav.
With no re-assuring commitment coming from the BJP,Yadav said,NDA exists at the moment and we are trying to figure out how the situation which has of late taken a bad shape can be rectified. We are also talking to our important workers. A meeting of the party,he said,will consider the issue. He did not disclose the timing or venue,however.
When told that the position of L K Advani has weakened in his party,Yadav said,His position has not weakened for us. We have the same respect for him as before.
When asked if Advani was acceptable to the JDU as the prime ministerial candidate in the next polls,Yadav said,It is not for me alone to decide.
Asked to comment on the proposed Federal Front and the Kolkata visit of JDU general secretary K C Tyagi,Yadav said,He Tyagi has not talked of a Federal Front.
