Thaindian News

Patna, Sep 18 (IANS) Another Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Saturday demanded snapping of ties with alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar, saying it would help the party perform better in the assembly elections.
Monazir Hassan, JD-U MP from Begusarai, told newspersons here: “It is high time the party broke off with the BJP and goes it alone in the coming assembly polls. I hope that it would help the party to form the next government on its own.”

He said there were many like him in the party who are in favour of snapping ties with the BJP.

Hassan’s remarks came two days after state cooperatives minister Giriraj Singh of the BJP said some JD-U leaders were behaving as if they were against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returning to power in Bihar.

Singh, known for his overwhelming loyalty to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Hinduvta, last month announced that he plans to invite Modi for campaigning in his constituency if he contests the assembly elections.

JD-U MP Shivanand Tiwari Monday asked his party to reconsider ties with the BJP over reports that Modi would campaign for the Bihar polls.

Bihar will elect a new 243-seat assembly in staggered month-long polling Oct 21 to Nov 20 in what is expected to be a stiff battle for power.

Modi has not campaigned for the NDA in Bihar in any election after the 2002 Gujarat riots. The JD-U strongly opposed his visiting Bihar even for the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2009.

In June, some Bihar BJP leaders questioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to return the money given by Gujarat in 2008 for flood relief.

Differences between Nitish Kumar and the BJP began June 12 when he expressed displeasure over newspaper advertisements featuring him and Modi. He even cancelled a dinner for BJP leaders attending its national executive meeting here.