PATNA: Janata Dal-United, an ally of the ruling NDA alliance in Bihar, on Saturday put to rest the controversy over an offer from main opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to support the former if the latter snapped ties with BJP following differences on issues related to caste-based census and special status for the state.
Rajya Sabha member and former JDU state president Bashishtha Narain Singh said that NDA was united in the state and focus of the government led by CM Nitish Kumar is on developmental activities.
He said the offer made by RJD state chief Jagadanand Singh was aimed at creating confusion and loaded with politics. "The offer has no relevance. When CM Nitish Kumar has clarified JDU's stand on the issues, I don't think there is need to elaborate," he said.
Earlier, RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari called on JDU parliamentary board chairman and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha. What transpired between could not be immediately known, but the meeting sent a message that RJD was ready to shun its previous differences with JDU.
In July 2017, Nitish had resigned from the Grand Alliance government comprising RJD and Congress and formed the next government with support of BJP, citing differences with RJD on issues of corruption charges against Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who was the deputy chief minister at the time.
On Thursday, Jagadanand said RJD would not hesitate to support Nitish if he parted ways with NDA’s ally, BJP, over the differences on issues related to caste-based census and special status for Bihar. “RJD will back Nitish Kumar on these two issues,” Jagadanand was quoted as saying.