Don't be upset by small differences, Modi tells NDA

Shiv Sena's walking out of the NDA appeared to have made other BJP allies uneasy as the Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) on Sunday called for better coordination among the ruling coalition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also rushed to address concerns voiced by the coalition partners asking them not to get unsettled by small differences.

Modi's remarks came even as NDA allies LJP and All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) have decided to go it alone in the Jharkhand elections.

After JD(U), it was the turn of Ramvilas Paswan's LJP to demand for an NDA Coordination Committee to ensure that there were no hiccups in the functioning of the ruling alliance.

“We have requested Prime Minister to form an NDA Coordination Committee or appoint NDA convenor, for better coordination between alliance partners,” LJP President Chirag Paswan told reporters here after a meeting of the ruling alliance.

Paswan said he missed the Shiv Sena at the NDA meeting on Sunday and also voiced concern over the exit of N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP from the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Another BJP ally JD(U) was the first to call for setting up of an NDA Coordination Committee soon after Shiv Sena decided to walk out of the ruling alliance expressing no confidence in the assurances given by the BJP leaders.

Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray claimed that BJP President Amit Shah had promised a sharing of the post of chief minister in Maharashtra and accused him of reneging on his word. This led to bitterness among the two parties that had first come together way back in 1989.

“Our alliance represents India’s diversity and the aspirations of 130 crore Indians. Together, we will leave no stone unturned in ushering a qualitative change in the lives of our farmers, youngsters, Nari Shakti and the poorest of the poor,” Modi said on Twitter about his meeting with the NDA partners.

Earlier, Modi also chaired a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party Board and stressed the importance of Parliamentary work. Modi said every hour of Parliament was important and every member should strive to raise issues related to the people during the winter session.

“Our Party will utilise the upcoming Parliamentary session to further our views on various developmental issues and contribute to transforming people’s lives,” Modi said.