Sharad Yadav to hold anti-communalism convention on August 17

Dissent increases within JD (U) against Nitish's decision to ally with BJP

Janata Dal (United) veteran Sharad Yadav is set to host a convention against communalism to indicate disagreement with party chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is likely to be held on August 17, two days before Kumar is to chair the party’s national executive meeting in Patna.

According to JD(U) sources, the convention will be attended by senior leaders of opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left. It would be a show of strength of opposition unity. Sources said Yadav was determined to raise his voice against Kumar’s “unilateral” decision to align with the BJP.

Discontent against Kumar’s move has gradually surfaced within the JD(U). At least a dozen party seniors from across the country have written to Kumar, who is also the JD(U) chief, saying the decision to ally with the BJP was taken without following the specified procedures.

They have said the party’s national council meeting in 2013 had authorised Kumar and Yadav, then the party chief, to take a final decision to sever the JD(U)’s 17-year-old alliance with the BJP. No such procedure was followed this time. 

These leaders have demanded that Kumar call the national council meeting and get his decision ratified. Leaders and state chiefs from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Rajasthan have written to Kumar.

Apart from Yadav, Rajya Sabha members M P Veerendra Kumar and Ali Anwar are among those opposed to Kumar’s decision.