JD(U) to propagate Bihar model of development during Guj polls

While BJP was busy dispelling the notion that Bihar party leaders were barred in Gujarat during assembly polls there, its ally JD(U) has decided to line up Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, ministers and Parliamentarians from here to propagate "Bihar model of development" in the elections in the western state.

"JD(U) will shortly finalise the list of candidates in Gujarat assembly elections after which the party will line up its senior leaders including national President Sharad Yadav, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, state ministers and Parliamentarians to propagate Bihar model of development to voters of Gujarat," its General Secretary and incharge of elections there K C Tyagi said.

He said over telephone that the party would in all likelihood contest 30 seats in the 180-member Gujarat assembly as it had done in the last polls there. The party has no tie-up with its NDA ally BJP there. It had managed one seat in Gujarat last time.

JD(U) and BJP are running coalition government in Bihar under Nitish Kumar for the last seven years.

Tyagi said party's Gujarat unit was preparing a chargesheet against Narendra Modi government which would be highlighted during the campaign. In view of the strong reaction of Nitish Kumar against his Gujarat counterpart over the 2002 riots, Modi had been kept out of Bihar in the 2010 assembly elections as well as in 2005.

Recently Kumar made it clear to BJP National President Nitin Gadkari that Modi should not be made Prime Ministerial candidate in the event of NDA victory in 2014 polls. Bihar JD(U) President Vashist Narayan Singh said as per request sent by the party's Gujarat unit and after consulting the central leadership, ministers and others would be sent to Gujarat for campaign for the November-December assembly polls.

Tyagi said "Bihar model of development" would be the party's main poll slogan in Gujarat.

"The party leaders will make people aware about core ideology of growth with social justice in Bihar while seeking vote for the candidates there," the JD(U) General Secretary said.