The ruling party Janata Dal (United) cancelled its all-party Makar Sankranti feast on Sunday following the boat tragedy in which 24 people lost their lives.
“Following the boat mishap, the JD(U) took the decision to cancel the lunch hosted for all political parties on the occasion of the Makar Sankranti …it has nothing to do with any political party raising objections to it,” said State JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh.
Earlier, the decision to invite the opposition BJP to the lunch had triggered unease among alliance partners, specifically the Congress.
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“Earlier on November 24 the Chief Minister had cancelled the annual report card release function after the rail accident in Kanpur in which several people from Bihar were killed,” said a senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak.
Some State Congress leaders, preferring anonymity though, told The Hindu on Sunday that “inviting BJP to the lunch on Makar Sankranti was nothing but a ploy to put pressure on us.”