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Sunday sunset for BJP-JD(U) alliance?

Despite last ditch efforts made by the top leadership of the BJP, the alliance with the Janata Dal (United), seems to be heading towards a split. JD(U) leaders, on Friday, clearly indicated that the relation between the two parties have reached the point of no return. ‘Dua dete hain jeene ki, dawa karte hain marne ki. Dushwari ka sabab yeh hain. (The blessing is for life but the medicine is for death). That is the crux of the problem,’ said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

The Bihar chief minister, who came back to Patna on Friday after completing his two-day ‘seva yatra’,  admitted that the ties between the two parties have worsened in recent times. ‘On the one hand, some are giving suggestions that it is an old alliance and it should continue, on the other hand, the conditions are such that there are problems,’ said Kumar.

Meanwhile in Delhi, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said that while his party considered the elevation of Modi as BJP’s internal matter, it does find the speeches and the remarks surrounding his anointment as going against the tenets of the national agenda under which the Opposition alliance had functioned so far. ‘We have objections to the remarks made by the BJP leaders after that. At Goa, speeches went beyond the national agenda,’ said Yadav. He was of the view that for the alliance to continue it has to comply to the norms of the national agenda of the NDA under which the coalition has functioned so far. The day also saw CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury meeting Sharad Yadav on Friday, fuelling speculations of a third front.

As it has become evident that the alliance is unlikely to continue, there seems to be no problem for the JD(U) government to remain in power. JD(U) has to reach the halfway mark of 122 in the 243-member state assembly and currently it has 118 MLAs and needs the support of another four. The party has already been in touch with six independent legislators. State BJP leaders, however, also alleged that JD (U) has been making efforts to wean away a section of BJP MLAs, a charge refuted by the party.
While the final decision over the alliance will be taken on the weekend by JD(U), some say on Sunday, top BJP leaders on Friday made their final appeal to their partner of 17 years.’ 

Only a united opposition can defeat Congress, whenever the opposition got united, Congress was defeated. Therefore, NDA’s unity is a historical necessity. We must do everything to keep NDA united,’ tweeted Leader of Opposition, Sushma Swaraj. The BJP leaders, however, also indicated that in case of a split they are likely to push Upendra Kushwaha as the OBC face of the party. Kushwaha had left JD(U) in December last year. BJP leaders say that Kushwaha, being a Koeri, will be able to tap 8% vote bank in the state.
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