Bihar BJP leaders had financially helped JD-United

Some senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders had financially helped the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) during crisis, says a recent document accessed by Deccan Herald.

The BJP’s Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib, Shatrughan Sinha, was one of the stalwarts who extended monetary assistance to the JD-U. Sinha donated Rs 51,000 on October 1, 2011, to shore up the JD-U’s finances.

Besides, former Bihar BJP president Tarakant Jha donated Rs 84,000. A seasoned lawyer and widely respected leader, Jha was earlier  chairman of the Legislative Council.

Senior leader Usha Vidyarthi donated Rs 51,000 on October 1, 2011, while Veena Devi donated Rs 90,000 on February 29, 2012, said the document prepared by an NGO “Association for Democratic Reforms”.

The BJP leaders continued to generously donate money to the JD-U despite Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cancelling a dinner party for the BJP in June 2010.

He has also been targeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

A veteran BJP leader, on condition of anonymity, said: “The BJP had always provided the JD-U emotional and financial support. We stood by him ever since Nitish’s Samata Party won just seven of the 324 seats in an undivided Bihar in the 1995 Assembly elections. But see the end result.”

The revelation raised many eyebrows since leaders normally donate to their respective party funds.
When contacted by Deccan Herald, a spokesperson for Sinha on Tuesday said: “It must be a donation for the Kosi flood tragedy.”

“What’s wrong in it. After all, the BJP and the JD-U were ruling partners at that time. And a friend in need is a friend indeed,” he shot back when reminded that it was for the JD-U’s party fund.

Another BJP source said: “The donations were apparently made to keep the Bihar chief minister in good humour and in the hope that he would eventually soften his stand against Modi, whom he has been humiliating for reasons known only to him.”