A jolted RJD-JD(U) combine on Friday sought to iron out the differences with Samajwadi Party — one of the major constituents of the Janata Parivar — which has announced to go all alone in poll-bound Bihar. JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and RJD chief lalu Prasad together met SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav here to salvage the alliance but failed to get any assurance.
This was Sharad Yadav’s second meeting in as many days with the SP supremo to rescue the ‘grand alliance’.
“Talks are on. Talks will continue. The entire 200 seats (100 each of RJD and JD-U) belong to Netaji (Mulayam) and Samajwadi Party. When we came together, a message went in the country that we will defeat the BJP. He (Mulayam) is our guardian. He has all the more responsibility to ensure this (that the alliance continues). Communalism is a threat to the country. Everyone wants to finish it. We have told Netaji to reconsider it so that a socialist and secular government is formed in Bihar,” lalu, who rushed to Delhi from Patna for the rescue job, said after a two-hour meeting with Mulayam.
While there was no word from the SP following the meeting, the JD(U) President put up a brave face saying “everything will be settled”. “Talks are on. You will get some good news in a day or two. This has nothing to do with seats. There are some internal matters which are not to be discussed with the media,” Sharad Yadav said. SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav has announced that his party was walking out of it as it felt “humiliated” after not being consulted by larger partners in the state over seat sharing. SP was given five seats in the seat sharing arrangement.
Sharad Yadav said there was no discussion on seat sharing during the meeting with Mulayam. “We discussed how to strengthen the alliance...We did not have any discussion on seat sharing. That is not an issue with Mulayam Singhji. The alliance existed earlier, it exist now and will remain in future.”
Sources in SP said Mulayam was not comfortable with being seen in the company of Congress, a rival in politics of Uttar Pradesh where JD (U) or RJD have hardly any stakes. Mulayam also faced criticism by Sonia for pushing for smooth functioning of Parliament when the Congress stalled the proceedings over lalitgate, land bill and the Vyapam scam in the just-concluded Monsoon Session.
The RJD chief said something has “hurt” Mulayam and expressed confidence that the matter will be sorted out. “Bihar is an opportunity for Janata Parivar to prove its strength. He has been hurt due to some reasons and decided to come out (of the alliance). He has played a key role in bringing together all the constituents of the Janata Parivar. This is an election important not only for Bihar but for the entire country,” lalu said.
In Patna, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also exuded confidence that the issue would be resolved and SP would return to the “secular” grouping.