JD(U) returns to NDA fold after 4 years

Sachchidanand Jha

Patna : Twentythree days after forming government with its help, the JD(U) on August 19, 2017, returned to the BJP led NDA fold after a gap of four years. A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the JD(U) national executive here on August 19 at CM’s official residence 1, Anne Marg. The national executive supported CM Nitish Kumar’s decision to join hands with the NDA. All the JD(U) MPs and MLAs have supported the decision, a senior leader of theparty said.

Nitish had on July 26, 2017, resigned as the chief minister of Grand Alliance (GA) comprising RJD, JD(U) and Congress and formed the next government with the support of NDA on July 27, 2017. Nitish had recently announced that no political party or combination is capable of defeating PM Narendra Modi in 2019 LS polls.

A faction of JD(U) led by former party president Sharad Yadav also held a meeting here the same day at S K Memorial Hall where the leaders claimed that Nitish had insulted the mandate given to the GA in October – November 2015 Bihar assembly polls by joining hands with the BJP. The supporters of Nitish and Sharad also clashed here on August 19.

Sharad Yadav’s supporters riding bikes were escorting him from the airport to S K Memorial Hall, the venue of their Jan Adalat programme, when they stopped outside the chief minister’s residence on the way and shouted slogans. The clash took place when some of them carrying sticks tried to enter CM Nitish Kumar’s 1, Anne Marg residence. Soon, Nitish’s supporters, who had gathered there for (JD (U) National Executive Committee meeting, came out and chased away Sharad’s supporters, police said. Sharad, who was in the car with suspended JD(U) MP Ali Anwar, refused to comment on the incident.

Patna SSP) Manu Mahaaraj, who reached the chief minister’s house after hearing about the trouble, said that a probe would be conducted and the guilty would be punished. “We will see the CCTV footage and try to identify those behind the violence and act accordingly,” the SSP said. When asked about security arrangements and why Sharad Yadav was allowed to take that route, the SSP said these concerns would be part of the probe.

The JD(U) has removed Sharad Yadav from the post of JD(U) leader in the Rajya Sabha. Interestingly, Sharad Yadav never had any problem with the BJP when he was heading the JD(U), one of the constituents of the NDA during that period. But, now Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is the national president of the JD(U). Sharad is getting tacit support from RJD chief Lalu Prasad.