If Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) is keeping its options open for 2014, its alliance partner BJP has read the writing on the wall. The party is gearing up to contest all 40 parliamentary seats in Bihar for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
While admitting this to the media in Patna on Tuesday, state BJP president CP Thakur was candid enough to add that the decision was a precautionary measure, in case the JD(U) left it in the lurch.

"We are preparing to contest all 40 seats after taking into account all possibilities, including the JD(U) deciding to sever ties with us at some stage," Thakur said.

The party, he said, has to be cautious in view of the “statements and counter statements by JD-U leaders from time to time”.

“That’s not an individual view, but one shared by a majority within the state unit,” he added. “The party would have to be ready with a counter-strategy, since the JD(U) could do the same.”

Kumar has made no secret of his opposition to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s possible candidature for the prime minister’s post. In fact, he had said his party “would not take a minute to break ties with the BJP” if Modi was nominated for the post. Later, he had followed it up with his offer of support to whoever gave the state special status.

On September 26, Thakur had informed the party’s national executive at Surajkund that it was gearing up to contest all 40 seats. “We are told by senior party members that we should be prepared,” he had told HT. 

(With PTI inputs)