Patna,(BiharTimes): Just ahead of West Bengal and Assam Assembly elections former chief minister and the leader of Hindustani Awam Morcha, Jitan Ram Manjhi, on Friday virtually blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party for not paying heed to the three other constituents of the National Democratic Alliance in the state.
Talking to the media Manjhi said all decisions should be taken in agreement with the four parties of the NDA. But this is not happening.
Conceding that the BJP is a sort of guardian party he regretted that sometimes they do not listen. After the merger “we would compel to put our stand more forcefully…We have made up our mind to convince the guardian…This merger would be good for the NDA.”
Incidentally, only on Thursday Manjhi denied that there was any plan to merge LJP, RLSP and HAM. The leaders of these three parties––Ram Vilas Paswan, Upendra Kushwaha and Manjhi––met twice a few days back to talk merger.
Manjhi’s Friday statement came as a big shock to many BJP leaders of the state. They denied that the saffron party is playing the role of big brother or ignoring the three other constituents of the NDA.
State party chief Mangal Pandey said that his party leaders always hold consultation with the other constituents of the NDA.
Leader of the opposition in the state Legislative Council Sushil Kumar Modi said he welcomes the merger move as it would simplify his party’s problem of dealing with three other parties. Besides, it would help consolidate the NDA too as they are not going to leave it. However, it is upto them to decide what they are doing.
SuMo denied that there was any problem or communication gap whatsoever with the other NDA constituents and said “we would talk with them.”
However, deputy chief minister Tejawsi Prasad said that “we have been saying from the very beginning that the BJP people are using these three parties. Now they do not need them, so they are dumping them.
Janata Dal (United) leader, Shyam Rajak, said that the BJP is the party which champions Manusmriti. NDA is on the verge of collapse. The LJP, RLSP and HAM can not carry on with the RSS for too long.
Another Dalit leader and state Congress chief, Ashok Chaudhary, who is also the education minister of the state, said that they are without ideology, and thus are bound to disintegrate and wither away.
Analysts are of the view that though the recent developments in Bihar NDA is not going to have any impact on the Assembly elections going to he held in the recent few weeks, there is no doubt that in the state the situation is not good for the saffron party.
