New Delhi, April 14
In a stern message to the JD-U, which today issued a veiled threat to the BJP over Narendra Modi’s much speculated projection as the prime ministerial candidate, the lead NDA party ticked off its key ally for making “unfounded inferences” against the Gujarat CM. Advising the JD-U to refrain from targeting its allies, the BJP asked it to instead focus on removing the “corrupt” UPA government.

“The need of the hour is to defeat the non-performing and corrupt UPA. The Congress-led UPA government is leading this country on a downslide in every field. The BJP expects Opposition parties and allies to keep their main focus on that. The BJP will continue its determined efforts in this direction. However, it is unfortunate, if they concentrate their energies on our chief ministers and dilute the focus of removing the UPA. We reject all unfounded inferences against Narendra Modi,” party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

The party thus made clear that it would any day chose Modi over Nitish Kumar than give in to the latter’s intimidation. The statement was also a terse message to its ally that the JD-U needed the BJP more than the other way round.

The statement was issued after consultation among top party leaders. Sources said BJP president Rajnath Singh and other senior leaders had been in touch with Kumar and Sharad Yadav to sort out differences and convince them against sending “wrong signals” that might benefit the Congress.

“If, despite so much effort from our side, Nitish Kumar still felt obliged to cater to his electorate, we too needed to look after our voters,” a senior leader said. Responding to whether it was the end of the road for the BJP-JD-U alliance, BJP leaders said they wanted the alliance with the JD-U to continue but did not want interference in their internal party matters.

The JD-U, which has been with the NDA since the days of Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led coalition government at the Centre, is not comfortable with the growing clamour for “Modi as PM” but a section within the regional party also feels the NDA applecart should not be disturbed, especially when the going seemed to be distinctly in their favour.

While JD-U has given time to the BJP to declare prime ministerial candidate, Kumar’s criticism of Modi may actually work to the Gujarat CM’s advantage by acting as a pressure on the BJP to clear its stand on the issue. Although the JD-U is giving signs of drifting away, what gives BJP leaders confidence is the fact that JD-U’s anti-Congress credentials actually make Kumar’s choices somewhat limited.