JD-U to contest 12 seats in Gujarat, no tie-up with BJP

New Delhi: Despite going with the NDA in Bihar, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) has not entered into any seat-sharing agreement with the BJP in Gujarat, and will field candidates in at least 12 constituencies in the tribal belt of the state, which is a stronghold of their rebel leader Chotubhai Vasava. Mr Vasava has joined ranks with rebel leader Sharad Yadav and had voted in favour of Congress’s Ahmed Patel in the Rajya Sabha polls.

The JD(U) has been strong in the entire tribal belt of the state which stretches upto as far as Bhanswara in Rajasthan. The tribal belt, which includes areas like Bharuch and Chota Udaipur, was nurtured by socialist leader Mama Baleshwar Dayal, who is considered a legend in the area and is much revered even now.

With the Sharad Yadav faction unlikely to get the ‘Arrow’ symbol of the JD(U), the fielding of candidates by Nitish Kumar is likely to divide the tribal votes in the state.

It is interesting to note that Mr Kumar who exited the Grand Alliance in Gujarat and joined the NDA has not entered into any seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP and is fielding its own candidates in the state. Sources told this newspaper that senior leaders of both the parties have been talking to each other and the BJP has said that it has no problem if the JD(U) fields its candidates in as many number of seats.

“The Janata Dal has been fighting elections there on its own in this region of Gujarat even when it was a part of the NDA and George Fernandes was its convener. Hence this time also we will fight on our own,” a senior leader said.

The Nitish Kumar faction is also confident of retaining the arrow symbol, the case for which is being heard in the Election Commission now. In such a scenario, the Sharad Yadav team will have to field its candidates either as independents or on the Congress symbol.