JD(U) set to put BJP on notice over Modi-for-PM

NEW DELHI: The unity of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance looks set to be tested this weekend with Janata Dal (United) likely to ask the saffron outfit to declare shortly its candidate for prime minister while making it clear that it would not accept a person lacking in "secular" image: political shorthand for Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. Sources in the party said the JD(U) executive and national meetings set for the weekend will make it plain to the BJP that it would not indefinitely put up with ambiguity on the leadership: something which can strain to breaking point the ties between the NDA allies who already seem to be drifting apart over the likelihood of Modi's projection as the main opposition's candidate for the top political job. BJP has been putting off a formal announcement on its candidate for the PMO for fear of offending allies like Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Kumar has told the BJP leadership on several occasions since last year that he would walk out of the opposition grouping if his Gujarat counterpart was named the opposition candidate. The BJP leadership assuaged him by saying that they had not decided on projecting anyone as PM and by promising that they would consult all NDA partners before taking a call. But with all signs suggesting that the Gujarat CM is set to lead the party into the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, JD(U) is keen that the BJP reveal its hand without delay. "We don't want to be caught unawares," said a JD(U) leader who pointed out that for the 2009 elections, NDA had declared L K Advani as its candidate by 2007-end. "We are merely asking them to follow what they did the last time," the JD(U) leader said. The ratification of Kumar's line by the JD(U)'s national council and national executive is expected to eliminate the room for what the party source called a "last-minute nasty surprise". When asked, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav refused to discuss the details, and limited himself to saying that members of the national executive and national council will discuss the political scenario in detail and with an open mind, stressing that nothing was decided yet. "It all depends on what all the delegates may decide to discuss and the decisions they take," stressed the veteran leader who is to be elected president of the party for a record third term. Kumar also refused to be drawn out on the issue, though he indicated that the deliberations will cover NDA's candidate for prime ministership and chart out the way forward. "We will discuss the current political situation in its entirety and all its complexity," he said. When specifically asked whether the leadership issue was also on the table, Kumar said, "When I say the entire political situation, that includes everything." However, sources in the party confirmed that the issue of prime ministerial candidate figures high on the agenda of the national executive and national council. They asserted that the party would not countenance any prevarication. BJP sources refused to comment on the likelihood of JD(U) upping its ante, but appeared resigned to the possibility of a split with one of its oldest allies. The rupture, ironically, may work to Modi's advantage by eliminating displeasure of allies as the consideration in the leadership sweepstakes. JD(U)'s "secular" rivals have taunted it for persisting with BJP despite the growing indications that Modi was headed to bag the prime ministerial nomination. The pressure from JD(U) may force the BJP to confront a decision it has dodged for the sake of preserving the NDA and not to rebuff aspirations within its fold. With Modi having surged ahead in the race for prime ministerial nomination on the strength of his appeal among the cadre, the party may find it difficult to submit to Kumar's demand to rule him out, and that too immediately. The meetings of JD(U)'s national executive and national council, on Saturday and Sunday respectively, will highlight the "Bihar model" and its social equity emphasis as a more viable formulation in comparison to Modi's pro-free enterprise. "The Gujarat model cannot be applicable in other states. We have to consider alternatives to the current regime at the Centre that do not ignore the backward and socially vulnerable sections," senior JD(U) leader Bashisht Narain Singh said.   TOI