JD(U) for Bihar formula in other state polls, urges Congress to make ‘sacrifice’ in Assam

Buoyed by the success of the grand alliance experiment in Bihar, the Janta Dal-United (JD-U) on Sunday batted for similar anti-BJP formations in five states going to polls next year, especially Assam. It also pitched for a nation-wide alliance of like-minded parties to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA.

At its National Executive meeting, which was attended by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and party chief Sharad Yadav, its leadership resolved to engage with other parties to explore the possibility of cobbling together an anti-BJP grand alliance at the Centre but stopped short of projecting Kumar as a leader of such an outfit.

JD-U, however, averred he was “a prime ministerial material”, stressing thatg he is the “most able and honest” Chief Minister. The party said it expected him to influence the national politics through Bihar.

Apart from Assam, Assembly polls will be held in West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry next year.

The meeting also decided to approach the Election Commission (EC) with a request for changing the party’s election symbol of a horizontal arrow.

JD-U’s chief spokesperson KC Tyagi said parties like Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Shiv Sena had symbols resembling JD(U)’s, which caused a lot of confusion among its voters. The party lost five seats in Bihar polls due to this, he claimed.

It also urged the Congress to make “sacrifice” in Assam, where it is in power but faces a strong challenge from BJP, to form an alliance with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and All-India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), saying the days of single-party governments, except for BJP, are over. 

“Congress is the biggest party and it has the biggest responsibility as well. Assam is the only state among those going to polls next year where BJP has a chance (of forming government). It must be stopped," Tyagi said.