Party insiders say the JD(U) leader preparing ground for the battle ahead

Nitish may go solo in next Bihar polls

Party insiders say the JD(U) leader preparing ground for the battle ahead

Seemingly unnerved by the tough posture taken by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over BJP's attempts to put him in the same bracket as Narender Modi, his Gujarat counterpart, the saffron party is trying hard to woo back its time-tested ally.

However, buoyed by the recent pat on the backs for development of Bihar by allies and opponents alike and with an eye on the Muslim votes, Kumar may have been thinking on another game plan altogether, JD(U) sources told MiD DAY.

According to party insiders, the Bihar chief minister might go it alone in the next Bihar assembly polls scheduled in November-December this year.

"Nitishji's strong objection to his picture being displayed along side Narender Modi might prove a strong gesture to the more than 22 per cent Muslim voters, who could also turn easily in JD(U)'s favour considering the other two opponents - BJP and Congress - are already out of favour by the community," a senior JD(U) leader told MiD DAY from Bihar over phone, requesting anonymity.

He also pointed out that the total vote share of the BJP, which is 16-17 per cent, does not belong to the saffron party alone. "It also consists a share of the JD(U). It should not be forgotten that the people of Bihar had chosen Nitish Kumar over Lalu Yadav and even the BJP, in alliance with Kumar, achieved out of the deal," he said.

And it is not just about political game scoring. Some tactical moves by the JD(U) veteran might have missed the eye of strategists but they are set to have far-reaching effects on the next mandate in Bihar.

According to local leaders belonging to both BJP and JD(U) keeping Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and young leader Varun Gandhi away from the election campaign in Bihar is not the only bone of contention

between the two allies. "Having sensed a strong wave in his favour Nitish might not allow the BJP to have its say in seat sharing which will further add to the ongoing feud," said a Bihar JD(U) leader.

Saying that nothing is permanent in politics, a senior JD(U) MP said : "If we would get the sense that the alliance with the BJP was doing any harm to our traditional vote bank, then don't be surprised if we break away from the party." BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the condition that Narender Modi and Varun Gandhi should not campaign in the forthcoming Bihar elections has not been laid down by JD(U) president Sharad Yadav or Nitish Kumar. "Any such demand is certainly not acceptable to BJP," he added.

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