BJP delaying seat allocation in Bihar as per planned policy: JD (U)

The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday criticized the BJP following reports of a rift among the NDA constituents before the Bihar Assembly polls, saying the ruling party at the Centre is postponing the announcement of seat sharing to ensure that the smaller parties have no option but to accept what is given to them as a fait accompli.

JD (U) leader Pawan Verma said that it is a carefully planned policy of the BJP to postpone the seat allocation within the NDA.

"Of course, this is the internal matter of the NDA and it is for them to resolve it but what we are seeing that this matter is being postponed to a point where these smaller parties which are with the BJP have no option but to accept what is given to them as a fate accompli," he told ANI.

Meanwhile, Verma while commenting on Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's remark questioning Nitish Kumar's 'secular credentials' said the Bihar Chief Minister has never ever compromised with the question of India's plural ethos.

"I don't see how that comment in any way applies to Nitish Kumar," he added.

Questioning the 'secular credentials' of Nitish, Mulayam had yesterday said that he enjoyed power with the BJP for nearly 12 years and then changed his stand.

The Samajwadi Party supremo's remark came days after he quit the grand alliance in Bihar.