JD (U)-BJP to contest 2020 Bihar assembly polls in alliance
Amidst all the reports of discontent, JD (U) principal general secretary, KC Tyagi, made it clear that there was “no threat to alliance,” referring to the party’s alliance with the BJP.
The senior leadership of Janata Dal (United) has said that the party will contest the 2020 Bihar assembly elections in alliance with the BJP despite the Nitish Kumar-led party deciding to boycott the central government’s move revoking Article 370. The JD(U) also said thee is no threat to its alliance with the BJP in the state.
On Tuesday, JD (U) leader in Lok Sabha Rajiv Ranjan alias Lallan Singh, said that the party cannot be a part of the passage of resolutions and bills concerning J-K. Earlier in the day, another JD (U) leader, Gulam Rasool Balyawi criticised BJP-led Union government for its decision to scrap the special status provision.
The disquiet in JD (U) camp, however, could not remain under cover as another general secretary and newly re-instated minister Shyam Rajak was more caustic in his remark terming the development as “murder of democracy”. Amidst all the reports of discontent, JD (U) principal general secretary, K C Tyagi, made it clear that there was “no threat to alliance.”
“We will fight the 2020 assembly elections under the leadership of Nitish Kumar and an announcement to this effect was made by deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi itself. The alliance is strong,” said Tyagi. Wondering why so many hue and cries were being made on the party’s stance, Tyagi said, “JD (U)’s stance was nothing unusual. We have always maintained that we will not support these contentious issues. We protested in decent manner. The BJP also knew our stand and we also know their agenda,” he added.
Tyagi had clarified on Monday that the party follows the tradition of Ram Manohar Lohia, who supported Article 370, and George Fernandes, who made it a point to insist during the NDA formation that it would not be tampered with. “We continue to abide by the view. But we didn’t vote against it,” he said.
Tyagi went on to add,“we took our ideological posture and ours was a dignified protest, and that is an old one, too. Our party president, Nitish Kumar had flagged JD (U)’s concern on the issue and had written to the Law Commission, three years back”.
Ever since the formation of Union cabinet, ideological differences have cropped up between the BJP and the JD (U), which entered into re-alliance in 2017 and both contested the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 and won on 33 out of 34 seats they contested together. The NDA won on 39 seats and the remaining six went to the third alliance partner, the LJP.
The contradiction between its words and actions on legislations, including those of Triple Talaq Bill, underlined JD (U)’s dilemma where it wants to woo Muslims while being in partnership with the BJP.
