JD(U) efforts of secular alliance with RJD fail

Efforts by Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav to forge an anti-Modi alliance with secular minded parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar did not take off with Lalu Prasad’s rejection to such a formation. 

However, people close to Sharad say he has not given up despite the setback and will continue to pursue it. 

“The idea (of a secular alliance) could not get enthusiastic response because it was proposed at an inopportune moment. How can we expect people to respond when they are in deep disappointment (over the poll result)?” said a senior JD(U) functionary.

“The party has suffered such a humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha polls that there is no room for serious contemplation. Besides it is grappling with a serious infighting,” he added of RJD. 

JD(U) leaders said Lalu Prasad cannot be blamed of irresponsibility as far as the secular alliance proposal is concerned, pointing out that his posture is different from the past as he is not harsh on Nitish Kumar or the JD(U). 

“We need a secular alliance in near future and it will certainly materialize,” JDU senior leaders Arun Shrivastav and Affaq Khan  told Deccan Herald.