Buzz over its plans, JD(U) admits ‘BJP more prepared’, says ‘better had Rahul yatra been INDIA event’

The Janata Dal (United) on Tuesday played down speculation of turbulence in the Bihar Mahagathbandhan and INDIA bloc. But it said that the Congress’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra event in Purnea on January 30, where party president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is scheduled to share the stage with senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad, should have been held under the banner of the Opposition alliance and not the Congress.

“Our main focus is ensuring a grand success of the Karpoori Thakur centenary celebrations on Wednesday. People should stop making speculation about our alliance,” said JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi. “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.”

Asked if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance looks better prepared for the Lok Sabha elections, Tyagi said, “The BJP does look better prepared even though they too have not done seat-sharing. 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.”

The JD(U) leader’s clarification that there was no sign of any rift in the Bihar alliance or the national INDIA bloc came on a day when Nitish Kumar visited the Raj Bhavan to meet Governor R V Arlekar, triggering buzz that all was not well in the ruling coalition in Bihar. Nitish, accompanied by state finance minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, held discussions with Arlekar for more than 40