JD(U) MLA protests tie-up with RJD, Nitish Kumar favours alliance against BJP

JD(U) MLA protests tie-up with RJD, Nitish Kumar favours alliance against BJP

A JD(U) legislator has opposed an alliance between his party and RJD for the Bihar Assembly elections, but senior party leader Nitish Kumar on Monday said that there was a possibility of a tie-up, including with Lalu Prasad's party, against the BJP. Rajiv Ranjan, JD(U) MLA from Islampur in Kumar's native Nalanda district, shot off a letter to the party opposing a tie-up with RJD.

"I have written a letter to state JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh expressing strong reservation against the tie-up with RJD against the 'jungle raj' (lawlessness) of which we came out to form our own party earlier," the JD(U) MLA said. Ranjan claimed that over 60 JD(U) legislators held the same view and there would be a strong reaction if the tie-up took place. Former chief minister Nitish Kumar said though no structured talk of alliance with any party had been held, there was a 'possibility' of it with parties opposed to BJP politics.

"In view of political situation emerging in Bihar and the country, there is a possibility of understanding between parties which do not like the brand of politics of BJP," Kumar told reporters here. He was in favour of an alliance among JD(U), RJD, Congress and Left to defeat BJP in the state Assembly elections next year. Stating that he was unaware of the letter written by Ranjan and would collect the details, Kumar said, "If JD(U) decides on an alliance it will be binding on everyone.” "Those not agreeing with the decision will be free to leave the party," he said.

JD(U), RJD, Congress and CPI supported the trust motion of the Jitan Ram Manjhi government and also in the bypoll to two Rajya Sabha seats in which BJP lent support to Independents propped up by JD(U) dissidents against official candidates. JD(U), however, was facing dissidence, with the party identifying 18 rebels who went against the party's official candidates in RS bypoll.

The close coordination between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad in recent days had triggered political debate in the state since Kumar was opposed to the RJD chief's brand of politics and had walked out of the Janata Dal in 1994 and formed a separate party under the leadership of George Fernandes.

The fight against RJD's 'jungle raj' had helped Kumar come to power in Bihar in November 2005 in alliance with the BJP. The two parties won the 2010 Assembly poll again with a handsome margin. But, elevation of Narendra Modi forced parting of ways between JD(U) and BJP in June last year after remaining together for 17 years.

Justifying proximity with Lalu Prasad, Kumar had said earlier that the bigger issue was to fight the BJP and not RJD. Lalu Prasad had said in case of alliance the vote share of the two parties would rise to 45 per cent, which would be much more than the nearly 30% vote share of BJP.

src:zeenews

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