Pact with BJP limited to Bihar: JD (U)

Close on the heels of sharing dais with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the ‘Sankalp rally’ in Patna on Sunday, Nitish Kumar-headed JD (U) has said that its alliance with the BJP was limited only to Bihar.

The ruling party in the State now intends to spread its tentacles and contest Lok Sabha seats in other States including Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Lakshadweep, Assam and Nagaland.

This was decided at the JD (U) national executive committee meeting convened here in the State Capital. The meet, attended by senior party leaders including former Rajya Sabha member and national general secretary KC Tyagi and vice-president Prashant Kishor, authorised JD (U) national president Nitish Kumar to take a decision in this regard.

“Our alliance with the BJP is limited only to Bihar. Nitish Ji has already announced candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Lakshadweep. The party will explore the option of contesting Lok Sabha seats in other States as well,” said Tyagi.

The party, meanwhile, has constituted a three-member committee, including Tyagi, Kishor and Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh, to talk to its different State units and explore the option of contesting Lok Sabha elections.

Why this move

The idea behind the move is to help JD (U) become a national party. As per the Election Commission criteria, a party should get at least six per cent votes from a minimum of four States or two per cent of the total seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three States, or be recognised as a State party in at least four States, to qualify as a national party.

The stand taken by the JD (U) on Citizenship Amendment Bill has earned it plaudits in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In Nagaland, it had won one seat during Assembly elections. But it fared badly in Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

Meanwhile, the national executive meeting also resolved that the JD (U) was completely opposed to any dilution of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir.