BJP, JD(U) set to fight Bihar polls together

July 1 : NEW DELHI: With some give-and-take, the turmoil in BJP-JD(U) ties seems to be ebbing as the two gear up to carry their alliance into the forthcoming assembly elections. While JD(U) is agreeable to the seat-sharing formula between the allies in 2005, its sensitivities over leaders like Narendra Modi -- or, on a lesser scale Varun Gandhi -- campaigning in the Bihar assembly polls will be kept in mind by its saffron ally.

The differences that cropped up between the two parties over the controversial advertisements relating to the "help" extended by the Gujarat government to Bihar after the Kosi floods soured relations but both sides seem to realize that a break in ties may not suit either. JD(U) would be worried over the possibility of central rule if the Nitish Kumar government were to lose majority and may also not be ready for the huge gamble of going it alone in the polls. Switching partners is also a fraught prospect.

BJP has its problems too. Losing a major ally will be a sharp mood downer for the Opposition party, yet to recover from a bad miscalculation in Jharkhand. Not only would BJP on its own have no real chance, it would make BJP president Nitin Gadkari's already indifferent report card look worse. The JD(U) leadership has conveyed that it is prepared to repeat the 2005 deal and that Varun Gandhi or Narendra Modi "type" of leaders had not been part of the campaign then.

BJP is not expected to publicly own up any such understanding but not deploying certain leaders is not a very difficult decision for the party as their utility in the assembly election is anyway limited. It does BJP no harm if JD(U)'s efforts to woo minorities pays some dividends while it looks to consolidate upper castes behind the alliance. The saffron party can maintain an arm's length over JD(U)'s Muslim outreach while Nitish Kumar does the same over his partner's Hindutva aspects.

By indicating that he was ready to go along with the seat-sharing of 2005, Kumar has certainly made a concession to his partner as he had been pushing for more seats in view of the perception that BJP's strength has dwindled in the bypolls. The calculation in certain quarters that JD(U) could exploit a weak field, with upper castes split between BJP and Congress and Lalu-Paswan also chipping in, is seen to be risky.

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/BJP-JDU-set-to-fight-Bihar-polls-together/articleshow/6099044.cms