JD(U) demands coordination committee in NDA, passes resolution saying Nitish has ‘all qualities of PM’

Taking a step further in turning up the heat on its alliance partner BJP, the Nitish-Kumar-led JD(U) on Sunday raised the demand for an NDA coordination committee at the state and central levels to “discuss several issues we differ on”.. 

The party has also passed a resolution at its national council meeting that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has “all the qualities” that a prime minister should have. 

“Just as there had been a coordination committee of the NDA during the AB Vajpayee government, we would welcome a similar committee now to discuss several issues we differ on. It would help in smooth functioning of the alliance and discourage unwarranted comments from leaders of the NDA alliance,” said JD(U) principal general secretary and national spokesperson K C Tyagi after the meeting. 

Tyagi also told The Indian Express the party passed a resolution that Kumar may not be in the PM race but has all the qualities that a PM should have. The JD(U) leader also said the party would continue to demand a caste census. “We are waiting for a positive response from the PM,” he said.

Reacting to the JD(U)’s demand of a coordination committee, BJP leader and Bihar Deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad was cautious in response. “We support it because it will help us coordinate on various issues,” he said.

Earlier this year, the Hindustani Awam Morcha led by former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi had also demanded formation of a coordination committee of the Bihar NDA partners, saying that otherwise the situation will become “bhayanak” (terrible) for the combine.

The JD(U)’s demand comes amid the party pushing the BJP-led central leadership for a caste-based census along with the Opposition. On August 10, Kumar-led 10-member delegation from Bihar, which also included RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the issue and said that they were hopeful of a positive response from the PM.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had demanded a probe into allegations of surveillance of phones using the Pegasus spyware.

The BJP is wary of taking any step regarding a caste census, especially with the UP elections around the corner. Several party leaders have privately said that the party cannot afford to antagonise the OBCs, who have become a crucial support base in recent years.