Advani calls Sharad, Nitish for talks to sort out BJP-JD(U) ties

The relations between the two NDA partners have been of late passing through a rough patch. To start with, it was the poaching of JD(U) leaders by the BJP in Karnataka, particularly of S R Bommai’s son Basvaraj Bommai, which triggered a boycott of floor co-ordination meetings by the JD(U) held during the Budget session of Parliament. The JD(U) grouse was that the BJP was out to finish it in various states by engineering defections from its ranks.

Though Advani tried to undo the damage by undertaking to prevent any poaching in future, the BJP refusal to accommodate JD(U) seat claims for a tie-up during Karnataka Assembly polls only made the things worse.

“The BJP has torn alliance norms to shreds,” JD(U) president Sharad Yadav exclaimed in frustration and retaliated by fielding over 70 candidates for the 224-member Assembly.

A revolt is simmering within the JD(U) with 22 of its 88 MLAs involved in dissidence. The problem in the BJP is far more serious with some three dozen of the 55 MLAs seeking removal of Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi as leader of the party’s legislature group and refusing to settle down for anything short of this.

Their charge: he is a puppet in Nitish’s hands. Therefore, he is being dubbed unfit to effectively protect the BJP interests in the Government.

Taking up cudgels on behalf of the anti-Modi elements, veteran party leader Kailashpati Mishra has submitted a proposal to the party high command to pull out of the Bihar Government and lend outside support to Nitish. This, according to him, is the best way to save the party. Nitish is said to be having a grand ambition to dispense with the BJP in future and be on his own through a different social alliance by taking the 18 per cent Muslims to his party fold. His designs are evident from the fact that he has maintained a safe distance from the BJP, staying away from Advani’s book launch function as well as NDA chief ministers’ conclave. Alongside, he has pushed a 10 per cent programme targeting Muslims and wooed non-Yadav OBCs through a variety of measures, including reservations in panchayat bodies.

There are also reports of an attempt to break the RJD by working on Rajya Sabha member Subhash Yadav, brother-in-law of Railways Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, amidst attempts to woo Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan.

While Nitish works on his grand design, a sudden pull-out by the BJP implies an unforeseen turn in the plot. Once the saffron party decides to sit outside, it would practically claim the space of the Opposition, save its upper-caste base and attract disgruntled elements from all parties, including JD(U). Nitish has to prevent this and ensure a continuation of Modi in his post.

However, Advani has to keep the NDA afloat to match the UPA in the next Lok Sabha polls. There being a mutual need on either side, the meeting is expected to yield fruitful results for both.