Ramvilas Paswan attacks BJP, JD(U) for continuing alliance

With both BJP and JD(U) indicating their willingness to continue the alliance in Bihar despite their public spat, LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan today attacked them, saying while one is spineless the other is playing fraud.

"BJP is spineless and hence saying it wants to continue the alliance despite so much humiliation from its alliance partner. On the other hand, Nitish Kumar is playing fraud with people and trying to cheat minorities by pretending that he does not like Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi," Paswan said.

He said that people of Bihar understand the "gimmicks" of Kumar and will give NDA a "befitting reply" during Assembly elections this year.

The LJP chief's comments came after leaders from both BJP and JD-U indicated that they were in favour of continuing the alliance.

Bihar unit chief of BJP C P Thakur, who called on senior party leader L K Advani this morning to discuss the status of the party's alliance with JD(U), said, "We are prepared to fight the elections alone if we are forced to do so. But, we would like the alliance to continue."

In Patna, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar also sought to downplay the flood aid row with ally BJP, saying there was no cause for tension.

JD(U) president Sharad Yadav had said yesterday that "our alliance with NDA is old and our intention is that it should continue. The incidents of June 12 were unfortunate but are now behind us. What has passed has passed."

Yadav had made the remark after meeting BJP spokesperson and senior leader from Bihar Shahnawaz Hussain. During the meeting, they are learnt to have discussed the political ramifications in the event of the alliance breaking down.

Yadav, who is also national convener of NDA, had said, "NDA is still functioning and in future also the NDA will function."