The Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday played down speculations of fissures in the Bihar Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc saying that the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which will pass through Bihar, should have been held under the banner of Opposition alliance and not the Congress.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav will be attending the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra rally in Bihar’s Purnea on January 30, reports The Indian Express.
JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi said, “Had it (January 30 event) been an INDIA bloc rally, it would have given a very good message about our unity. It is not important if allies join Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra or not, it is important to hold joint INDIA bloc meetings from district to state to national levels.”
Nitish’s presence at the Rahul Gandhi-led Yatra was confirmed by Congress MLC and senior party leader Prem Chandra Mishra on Monday. He said that the Gandhi will enter Bihar from West Bengal on January 29 through Kishanganj and will address a rally on January 30 in Purnea.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has confirmed his participation in the Purnea rally,” Mishra, who is the chairman of the media committee for the Yatra, told reporters.
The Nyay Yatra in Bihar will cover 425 km and seven districts in Bihar in two phases. It will cover Kishanaganj, Purnea, Araria and Katihar, before entering West Bengal on February 1. It will then cover parts of south Bohar – Aurangabad, Kaimur and Rohtas.
Mishra also said that invitation has been sent to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who “may attend the Purnea rally, or Katihar, which is scheduled on January 31,” depending on his availability in view of the summons by the Enforcement Directorate, in connection with the land-for-jobs ‘scam’.
KC Tyagi’s clarification that there was no rift came on the day when Nitish Kumar, accompanied by state finance minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, visited the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor RV Arlekar, triggering massive speciulations that all is not well. Later, government sources told IR that the CM met the Governor to discuss about pending Vice-Chancellors appointment to six state universities.
The JD(U) leader also said that the although the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance have not held seat-sharing talks, they look “better prepared”.
“They have been also trying to encash the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration wave. The BJP must realise that Ram represents India’s cultural and religious ethos and does not belong to any party or ideology,” he said.