JD(U) snaps ties with BJP

The BJP has termed JD(U)'s step as "a great betrayal with the people of Bihar"

The 17-year old alliance between the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Janta Dal (United), or JD (U), could not survive even 17 days after the promotion of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the saffron party's election campaign chief. After days of political drama, the JD(U) today formally announced it was out of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also sacked all BJP ministers from the state Cabinet. Kumar will now seek confidence vote in the state Assembly on Wednesday. The chief minister had called a Cabinet meeting this morning, but BJP ministers refused to attend. After the meeting, top JD(U) leaders met and discussed the current political scenario, in which the final decision on the break-up was taken.

Announcing the split, JD (U) national president Sharad Yadav said situations had become difficult for the two parties to stay together. "Our relationship with the BJP saw many ups and downs in the last 17 years, but we always tried to work together under the NDA's national agenda. In the times of Atal-Advani, the coalition ran on trust. However, in the recent time, we feel trust deficit. It will not be beneficial for either of us to stay in the partnership. Therefore, we have decided to step out of the NDA." Yadav also announced his resignation as the NDA convener.

The BJP, in return, has termed JD(U)'s step as "a great betrayal with the people of Bihar". "The JD (U) has broken the alliance and thus, the trust of the people of Bihar. It is a black day for the state. He (Kumar) must resign," said former deputy chief minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. "When they needed us, we were secular. Now, we have become communal. It's nothing but politics of ease."

The BJP has called for a Bihar bandh on Tuesday.