Patna: Accusing the BJP of forcing it to walk out of the alliance by not being forthcoming on Narendra Modi’s future role, senior JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari on Saturday said the announcement of a split in the coalition was a “mere formality”. Tiwari also dubbed Modi as an “arrogant” and “divisive personality” who cannot take all sections along.
“We have been looking for a categoric assurance that Narendra Modi will not be the prime ministerial candidate in whatsoever situation, but that has not been forthcoming from them (BJP) during talks to save the NDA amid imminent walk out of the JD(U),” the senior JD(U) leader told PTI.
“Let is be clear once and for all that the BJP has forced the JD(U) to walk out of the alliance by being not forthcoming on Modi’s future role,” he said. Tiwari’s remarks come in backdrop of reports that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has sought a categorical assurance from BJP that Modi will not be the PM candidate.
He said the announcement on JD-U’s split from NDA is a mere formality which will take place soon after consultations among the JD(U) top leaders, which he claimed, was not required at all in view of “our consistent stand on Modi”.
Launching a scathing attack on the Gujarat Chief Minister, he said, “Modi is an arrogant person and this reflects from his personality….his divisive attitude is too well known”. He asked how a secular party like the JD(U) can allow such an “arrogant and divisive person to be projected as the prime ministerial candidate.”
“Modi’s personality does not reflect of a person who wants to bring more people with him, but at the same time no one has any doubt that his name is enough to divide the society,” the JD(U) national spokesperson said. To questions whether JD(U) has put conditions before BJP, party president Sharad Yadav said, “We have not put any conditions before BJP. The alliance so far has run on a national agenda which has to be respected by all.” Yadav acknowledged that there are “difficulties in the alliance” but added, “we are trying to sort it out”.
Meanwhile, with the split in the ruling coalition in Bihar looking imminent, state NDA convenor Nand Kishore Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday refused to meet Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
The JD(U) core committee meeting is underway at the Chief Minister’s residence to discuss alliance issues. State JDU President Vashist Narayan Singh and several other top party leaders are attending the meeting.
“We are state leaders and have no authority to talk about Prime Ministership which only our national leaders can talk,” Bihar NDA Convenor and state Road Construction minister Yadav told PTI. Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi were invited by the CM for a talk on Saturday morning.
Yadav said he told the CM that “our national leaders including party president Rajnath Singh, L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Nitin Gadkari and others have been talking to you and Sharad Yadav on larger political issues including PM nominee…the subject does not fall in our jurisdiction hence there is no point meeting”. (PTI)