Patna:

The National Democratic Alliance is coping with the bitter end to the 17-year-old alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal United. Both the parties are blaming each other as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sacked all 11 BJP ministers in his Cabinet and seeks a trust vote this week.

"The alliance is no more beneficial to either of the parties. So, we have decided to part ways," said JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said. Nitish Kumar ended his 17-year-old alliance with the BJP and making it clear that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's elevation has filled the JD(U) with apprehension about the future of the alliance, also accusing the BJP of succumbing to the 'autocratic personality cult' with no respect for democratic process.

"The alliance took a direction that we disagreed with. It was very clear the manner in which the announcement was made," Nitish said.

With no ties between the two sides, Nitish Kumar didn't wait for his Cabinet colleagues from the BJP to resign and instead he sacked them. "It is unacceptable that some ministers are shirking work. This is why I have decided to sack some ministers," Nitish said. Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "Nitish has betrayed us and is playing politics of convenience. He should seek a fresh mandate as he was NDA CM not JD(U)."

Earlier on Sunday, Nitish called a meeting of his cabinet. BJP ministers waiting for Nitish to make the first move refused to attend it. At around 12.30 pm JD(U) leaders met to formalise the decision, soon after Nitish went to apprise the governor of the political situation in Bihar, also asking him to call a special assembly session.

Nitish Kumar will be seeking the vote of confidence on June 19 and has managed numbers to ensure that his government in the state is stable. The real political dilemma will be for Lalu Prasad. If he votes against Nitish, he would be seen on the wagon with the BJP.

Fearing political untouchability post this break up, it was BJP President Rajnath Singh himself who took centre stage defending Modi. "What has Modi done? They were our allies knowing what happened in 2002," Rajnath said.

From sharing the stage with Narendra Modi also lauding his performance model to breaking ties because of him - as both prepare for the big battle of 2014, the question is whether the friends of the past, Nitish and Sushil Modi, will meet again.

source:http://ibnlive.in.com