Follow 'coalition dharma', Naidu asks JD(U)

Senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu today asked JD(U) to follow "coalition dharma" after some of its leaders allegedly criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, widening the rift between the two parties.

Speaking to reporters here, Naidu said, "some friends in JD (U) are making derogatory remarks against Modi which neither will help you (JD-U) nor the country."

"Please follow the coalition dharma," he said without taking any names.

JD-U is the second largest constituent of the BJP-led NDA and has strong reservations about Modi. Party leaders have time and again expressed their antipathy to Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been the most vocal among them.

Kumar had even given a deadline till December this year to the BJP to declare its Prime Ministerial candidate, saying the candidate should be one, who is acceptable to all, which was interpreted by analysts as JD-U's No to Modi. He also said that JDU will soon come out with its stand on the Gujarat CM.

Referring to talks of Third Front or Federal Front, Naidu said it was a "failed experiment".

The parties, supporting the Congress-led UPA government, were responsible for the sins committed by it and people will not accept them, he said.

Alleging that the UPA government has lost the right to rule, Naidu said the BJP-led NDA was the only alternative to defunct UPA because the party has a credible record of good governance and development in its ruled states.

He warned that it was people's mood to liberate the country from the Congress' rule and they would not forgive any party which tries to weaken this resolve or help the Congress.