Going solo won't affect NDA: Sharad Yadav

Nitish Kumar to campaign for JD(U) in UP

JD(U) President Sharad Yadav on Wednesday said his party’s decision to go solo in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections would have no effect on the NDA in which it is an alliance partner along with BJP.

“Though we have contested four elections with BJP, this time it was not possible. So we are going it alone and will be contesting on all the seats,” he told reporters here.

Yadav said talks on UP polls were on with the BJP for two months but nothing emerged. “Earlier we used to be in contact with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani but now that they were having difficulty in taking a decision, JD(U) decided to go alone,” he said.

The JD(U) leader said some of those who have been given entry into the BJP were not toeing the party ideology, but added that it was an internal matter of the BJP.

He said JD-U’s decision would not have any impact on the NDA at the Centre because in all states, except four, NDA allies have been contesting separately.
Yadav said that besides him, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and members of his cabinet would campaign for JD-U in UP where the effort would be focus on development and justice besides providing an alternative to the people.

Asserting that there had been “one person rule” in Uttar Pradesh during the past 20 years, Yadav said all the four major political players - BSP, BJP, Congress and SP - were short of issues and were merely indulging in “qawali mukabala” (friendly fight).
“Our effort will be to tie the elephant, cycle, lotus and hand (poll symbols of BSP, SP, BJP and Congress respectively) and dump them in the Ganga,” he said, adding he was sure the state would have a hung Assembly.

Taking a dig at the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, Yadav said it was perhaps for first time that a number of ministers have been sacked on charges of corruption and that too on poll eve.

“There had been a never-ending process of corruption, mismanagement and loot in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

To questions on the promise of nine per cent sub quota for backward Muslims by Union Minister Salman Khurshid, he said it was his party’s government which had implemented Mandal Commission recommendations which led to harmony in society.

“He cannot frame the Constitution in his home,” he said, adding it was the Congress government which had constituted Sachar and Rangnath Misra Commissions whose report he had asked for tabling in Parliament.

“Had it been done, I would have told the country what is right in these reports and what is wrong,” he said.

To Election Commission directives for covering the statues of Mayawati and elephants, he said it does not seem proper though he said he respected the poll panel for conducting free and fair elections all along.