The Congress party on Saturday described the Janata Dal (United) as a “secular and like-minded party” while the Sharad-Pawar-led NCP appealed to the JD(U) to desert the BJP and join the secular forces.
These developments come on the eve of a crucial meeting called by JD(U) leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on Sunday to take a final call on staying with the BJP, which is fighting the next Lok Sabha elections with Gujarat CM Narendra Modi as its campaign committee chief. In Patna, allies JD(U) and BJP waited for a formal announcement of the end of their eight-year-old coalition state government and 18-year-old national alliance.
“JD(U) is a like-minded party, which has faith in secularism. It is in alliance with a party with which its ideology does not match,” Congress spokesman Bhakta Charan Das told reporters, sending clear signals for the first time that the Congress was not averse to doing business with Mr Kumar’s party. “Like-minded secular parties have come together in the past and can come together even in future. A political formation of like-minded forces in the interest of the nation can happen anytime,” Mr Das said. He steered clear of questions on whether the JD(U) or the RJD was its natural ally in Bihar, and which of the two it considered more secular. “Both parties advocate secularism. Today, we are with the RJD. There is no confusion on it. Tomorrow, if some situation emerges, our leaders will look into that. It’s not the time for us to comment on it,” he said.
In Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi said he did not take decisions on inviting parties to join the ruling UPA at the Centre. He was responding to questions on whether the Congress would invite the JD(U), which appeared set to end its alliance with the BJP. “These are internal matters of the Congress party. Frankly, these decisions are not made by me. These decisions are made by senior leaders of the Congress party. So it is not for me to give invitations to anyone,” Mr Gandhi said.
On Mr Modi’s elevation, he said, according to PTI, “It is their (BJP’s) internal matter. It is really not my concern. My concern is how the Congress party is doing and how we are doing in different states, what are the different types of action we are taking to benefit the people.”
The NCP said it welcomed the JD(U)’s imminent separation from the BJP. “We welcome the JD(U) (move) to separate from the BJP and join secular forces,” NCP spokesperson D.P. Tripathi said in Mumbai. Asked whether “secular forces” meant the UPA or the “federal front”, Mr Tripathi said, “Yes, UPA coalition... We are part of the UPA. We are not with any front, we are with UPA,” according to agency reports.
In New Delhi, AICC officials are confident that no secular party, whether in the UPA or outside, can ally with the BJP as long as Mr Modi is its face. The Samajwadi Party, BSP, RJD, Trinamul Congress, Left, DMK, AIADMK, BJD, TDP and JD(S) cannot afford to fight the polls with Mr Modi or back him for the top post after the general election.
“The JD(U) and RJD, SP and BSP and DMK and AIADMK are bitter rivals in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, fighting Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections against each other. But can they support Narendra Modi,” they asked.
While drawing attention to the division in the BJP over Mr Modi, they said no secular government can be formed at the Centre without the Congress. In fact, Mr Das claimed only the Congress could provide a strong and stable government at the Centre, even in the future. He said there are internal “contradictions and confrontations” within the Opposition and they do not seem to be in a position to provide an alternative to the Congress.