Were happy with BJP, says JD(U)

PATNA/NEW DELHI: The grand alliance in Bihar appeared to be hurtling towards a split on Tuesday with CM Nitish Kumar's JD (U) fondly remembering its days with BJP, and party secretary general K C Tyagi saying they were far more comfortable with the saffron outfit during their 17)year partnership.
“We were much more comfortable under the Atal Bihari Vajpayee regime, but still have ideological differences with the Narendra Modi government on issues like Article 370 (which grants J&K special autonomous status), the uniform civil code and Ram Janmabhoomi,“ Tyagi said.
The JD(U) spokesperson has been one of the staunchest supporters, along with senior member Sharad Yadav, for a secular alliance in the state and nationally.
The outbreak of nostalgia for BJP after a bitter parting in 2013 comes amid an attack by RJD members on Nitish for supporting NDA's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, and Congress taking swipes at the CM as well. RJD boss Lalu Prasad's son and putative successor Tejashwi Yadav, who is also Bihar's deputy CM, had attacked Nitish for what he called the latter's “unprincipled and ego-centric approach“.
While RJD appeared to be retreating from the criticism from the strident position in the past 24 hours, with both Lalu and Tejashwi asking members to pipe down, JD(U) went on the warpath. The party also warned Congress to refrain from making “unwarranted“ remarks against Nitish as such statements could “shorten the life of the alliance in Bihar“.
According to sources, the sudden deterioration in ties among the alliance partners is not just due to divergence over the presidential poll. They said JD(U) had stumbled upon an alleged plot to topple Nitish and this could have shaped the developments. Sources also alleged that the RJD leadership was ready to dump Nitish in exchange for help from the Centre in cases and investigations.
The simmering suspicions came to a boil when Nitish announced support for Kovind and RJD and Congress started taking potshots at the CM.
Reacting to Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad's jibe at Nitish that “those who have one principle take one decision and those who have many take different decisions“, Tyagi told TOI, “Senior leaders like Azad should refrain from giving such a statement on Nitishji. It is quite provocative and may lead to differences in our alliance as well.“
Tyagi said Congress's decision to field Meira Kumar “was arrogant“. “Majority of opposition parties were looking forward to a non-Congress candidate.Even our understanding with Left parties in Chennai favoured Gopal Krishna Gandhi,“ Tyagi said, adding JD(U) was not part of UPA and any decision of UPA partners was not binding on them.
Earlier, Lalu had removed party spokesperson Ashok Kumar Sinha and summoned motormouth Maner MLA Bhai Virendra to end the war of words between the two parties.