PM Modi may attend JD-U Patna rally

Patna: The JD-U in Bihar is gearing up to launch a rally, which is also likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan.

JD-U leaders in Patna said that “the party is in talks with BJP and LJP to finalize a date for the rally. We are also waiting for the Prime Minister to confirm the date”.

Sources said that the decision was taken on Sunday by chief minister Nitish Kumar during a party meeting in Patna.

His decision has however raised eyebrows in the political circle here as both the leaders have never shared a political stage and this will the first time when they will jointly address the masses.

Political analysts are of the view that the success of massive Mahagath-bandhan rally in Kolkata on January 19 has raised political temperature in other states including Bihar.

Besides, the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) is gearing up to hold a gathering of Opposition leaders in Patna on February 3 which is also likely to be attended by Congress President Rahul Gandhi is another factor which is causing unease in the NDA camp here.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar after withdrawing support from the grand alliance had returned to NDA fold and formed a government with BJP in July 2017. BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who was made the deputy chief minister, had then claimed that the JD (U) – BJP combine would “sweep” the state during the elections.

However, observers pointed out that within a span of just a few months, the NDA’s base has dwindled as two of its important allies, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP), have joined the RJD led grand alliance in Bihar.

Sources said after the RJD cobbled up an alliance with around nine political parties with “strong EBC, OBC and Minority voter base” in Bihar, the NDA, especially the JD-U has been worried about its own vote bank in the state.