The Left parties on Monday warned the Janata Dal (United) that the BJP could trigger a Maharashtra-like political crisis in Bihar and also offered to help if the Nitish Kumar-led party decides to part ways with the saffron party.
CPIM(L) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said, “We will extend a helping hand if the JD(U) breaks up with BJP and a new government is set up.” He pointed out that the party at its Gaya conference had made it clear that to “save the state from the BJP, we will take whatever steps are needed”.
CPI(M) politburo member Nilotpal Basu said that if a new alignment were to take place, it would be positive development and the party would welcome if the “influence of the BJP can be negated”.
Basu, however, added that at the moment his party was waiting and watching developments and would not like to elaborate further on the hypothetical situation of JD(U) breaking up with the BJP.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha said that allying with the JD(U) is a possibility but the decision will be taken as per the direction of Bihar people.
“We are not seeing any such possibility (of President’s rule) in Bihar as of now. First, it should be decided as to what will happen. We will take a decision as per Bihar’s people’s direction,” he told media.
It should be noted that ties between the JD(U) and BJP have frayed, after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar skipped the Niti Aayog meeting, and his party the JD(U) on Sunday announced that that it will not send any representative to the central cabinet.
This follows a series of disagreements between them over a host of issues including caste census, population control and the ‘Agnipath’ defence recruitment scheme.
