Sulking Sharad Yadav calls meet of secular parties

New Delhi: Sulking JD(U) veteran Sharad Yadav, who has been vocal about his opposition to Bihar chief minister and party chief Nitish Kumar’s decision to break the grand alliance in the state, is planning to hold a conclave of top Opposition leaders on August 17.

The meeting will focus on the shared “syncretic” heritage of these parties and their secular credentials.

Mr Yadav, who claims that he has refused a Cabinet berth at the Centre, plans to invite Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as well as leaders of other “like-minded” parties, including the CPI(M), Trinamul Congress, DMK and NCP to the conclave, scheduled just two days before the JD(U) national conclave in Delhi on August 19.

JD(U) sources told this newspaper that though the planning for the programme was at a nascent stage, Mr Yadav has discussed it with Opposition leaders like the Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) general secretary discussed it with Opposition leaders like the Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, whom he met within a day of the Bihar chief minister’s decision to join the NDA.

Interestingly, the JD(U), which has nine MPs in Rajya Sabha, voted along with the Opposition to seek an amendment to the crucial National Com-mission for Backward Classes Bill in the Upper House on Monday, resulting in embarrassment to the ruling BJP.

If Mr Yadav maintains his anti-NDA government stance without quitting his party, then it is likely to be difficult for Mr Kumar to keep his promise of extending the JD(U)’s support to the government in Parliament.

This will also help the Congress-led Opposition, which is reeling under severe setbacks in the Upper House with the CPI(M) rejecting a third term for Mr Yechury and BSP chief Mayawati resigning. Congress leader Ahmed Patel is also likely to face a tough fight in his Rajya Sabha election from Gujarat on August 8.

Earlier, at least three MPs of the JD(U) had expressed their unwillingness to go with the BJP. Mr Yadav had held a meeting with these MPs a day after Mr Kumar’s resignation, sources said.

However, sources also said it was unlikely that Mr Yadav will part ways with Mr Kumar and his conclave is just a pressure tactic to get his way in the party in which he has been seemingly sidelined since relinquishing the post of president last year.

Differences emerged between the two top JD(U) leaders after the Bihar chief minister’s decision to support NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, after dallying with the Opposition for over two months.