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Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Only NDA partners can refer to Central schemes during campaign, says BJP
This is a clear snub to the Lok Janshakti Party that has opted to break away from the NDA and contest the Bihar elections on its own
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asserted that only the alliance partners in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be allowed to refer to the Central schemes and policies of the Narendra Modi-led government for campaigning during the upcoming three-phase Bihar assembly polls, said persons aware of the details.
This is a clear snub to the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) that has opted to break away from the NDA and contest the Bihar elections on its own.
The LJP has attacked the Janata Dal (United) leadership, in general, and chief minister Nitish Kumar, in particular. The LJP has been iterating that it wants to strengthen the Modi government and is not at odds with the BJP.
The party has also said it continues to remain a part of the NDA at the Centre.
However, Vikas Mishra, spokesperson, LJP, said his party’s poll campaign would be centred on the Bihar first, Bihari first vision document. “Our campaign will be a positive one, we will not make any personal comments against anyone,” he said.
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The BJP’s directive of not relying on PM Modi’s face or his achievements during the campaign can be seen as a move to placate the JD (U), which is smarting under the attacks from the LJP.
The JD (U) is pressuring the BJP to clarify that the LJP cannot be allowed to piggyback on the NDA’s achievements.
A JD (U) functionary said that the party is sore with the speculations that the LJP has been encouraged to break away from the NDA in a bid to upset it’s apple cart, especially in the rural areas.
It is being alleged that the move could allow the BJP to emerge as the single-largest party, when the poll results are declared on November 10.
“There is doublespeak. On one hand, the LJP is saying that it is against the JD (U) and will contest alone, but on the other hand, it also wants to be part of the state government when it is formed,” the JD (U) functionary said.
The BJP, too, has clarified that the party workers would canvas only for NDA allies.
The BJP has also dismissed the speculation that the LJP’s move is aimed at allowing it to stake claim for the CM’s post, if it emerges as the single-largest party in the upcoming assembly polls.
The elections for the 243-member Bihar legislative assembly will be held on October 28, November 3 and 7.
