Amid speculation that the rift between the two ruling alliance partners, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal (United), is widening, JD(U) leaders on Sunday said Chief Minister and party president Nitish Kumar could attend the RJD’s proposed rally here on August 27.
“Our leader Nitish Kumar will be attending the RJD’s anti-BJP rally in his personal capacity, if he is invited”, JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh told journalists after the party’s state executive committee meeting.
Mr. Kumar, earlier, had addressed the meeting and appealed to leaders to strengthen the party organisation. Party sources told The Hindu that Mr. Kumar also asked party spokespersons to refrain from making contentious comments.
He made it clear that he had no political plans outside the State. “I will remain in Bihar,” he told the executive. Mr. Kumar was emphatic that his party had been following the coalition dharma and would always follow it. “I will continue following my own ideology unmindful of its consequences”, he told the meeting.
Earlier, some senior JD(U) leaders had said that the party would not be attending the RJD’s proposed mega rally BJP hatao, Desh bachao. “The rally is being called by the RJD and not by the JD(U)”, said JD(U) leader RCP Singh.
Facing dubious land deal charges against his family members and reopening of fodder scam cases in which he is an accused, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had called the anti-BJP rally saying all non-BJP party leaders like Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati and Left party leaders would participate in it.
Party sources said Ms. Banerjee, Ms. Mayawati and SP president Akhilesh Yadav have already sent their consent to attend the rally.
At the JD(U) meeting, while making oblique reference to the Congress party’s apparent displeasure over his support to NDA’s presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Mr. Kumar reportedly said “the Congress party has been changing its political principles but he would not change his principles whatever be the consequences.” “ Hamare neta pichhlaggu nahin, dusare log pichhlaggu honge (Our leader would not be pillion of anybody, others could be)”, Mr. Sanjay Singh later told the media.
