JD(U) puts BJP on notice

JDU has given clear warning to BJP over the issue of Prime Ministerial candidate for 2014. Either dump Narendra Modi for prime ministerial candidate or break the alliance is clear message from the JD(U) to BJP. It may appear to be the JDU’s posturing and pressure tactics in the beginning but it is most likely to turn out to be real one if the BJP stuck to its position as of now. JDU has already set deadline for the BJP to announce its prime ministerial candidate by the end of the year. It has also set the criteria for prime ministerial candidate of the BJP. Now ball is in BJP’s court. JDU and BJP have been together for the last 17 years and they have shared power together under National Democratic Alliance government headed by former PM and the tallest BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee for six years. They are in alliance in Bihar also and sharing power together in the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led JDU and BJP government of NDA there. Despite having been in alliance with BJP, JDU is seen as a secular party and its leaders’ secular credentials are unquestioned. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claims to be the torchbearer of secularism, inclusive politics and development. Moreover, he has made it clear that no matter whether he is in power or out of it, he cannot compromise with secularism. The relation between JDU and BJP has come under strain since it appeared that the latter’s most popular leader Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who has won three assembly elections in a row for the party and is known for good governance and development, is likely to be BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for 2014 elections. As Modi’s most discernible drawback is his doubtful secular credentials and the stigma of 2002 Gujarat riots on him, JD(U) is averse to his PM candidate. His likely projection by BJP as prime ministerial candidate is the bone of contention between the two most important alliance partners in the NDA. Nitish Kumar in his address to his party national council members has unequivocally said that prime ministerial candidate must be of secular credentials beyond any doubt; votary of backward states and must pursue inclusive development and politics. During his speech at the national council meeting, he fired several innuendos targeting only Narendra Modi in his endeavour to give the message loud and clear to BJP that if it wants to continue the alliance, it must drop the idea of projecting Modi as prime ministerial candidate. However, the BJP instantly rejected Nitish’s suggestion and defended openly its chief minister Narendra Modi. Though the serious differences persist over the name of Modi among some senior BJP leaders within the party, the way Gujarat CM creates wave in his favour all over the nation has naturally upset the alliance partner JDU in NDA whose allegiance to secularism has never been questioned. It was in the government of Atal Behari Vajpayee because of his all encompassing, liberal and inclusive politics under a national agenda. JDU can not afford to loose its muslim minority vote bank and compromise with principled stand of secularism