PATNA: In a major setback to NDA ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha election, JD(U) on Sunday broke its ties with BJP in Bihar in protest against the elevation of Narendra Modi, bringing to an end a 17-year-old alliance that had held firm through thick and thin in the national politics.

Heading the eight-year-old coalition in the state, JD (U), which does not need BJP support to run the government, removed 11 BJP ministers from the state Cabinet and decided to seek a vote of confidence on June 19 in view of the “new situation“.

Sunday’s development is a major jolt to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which is now left with only three constituents — BJP, Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the break up of the coalition at a press conference, exactly a week after Modi was made the BJP’s Campaign Committee chairman, considered just a step short of being made the prime ministerial candidate. Yadav also quit as Convenor of the NDA.

“We cannot compromise with our basic principles. We are not worried about the consequences. As long as the alliance was Bihar-centric, there was no problem. But we had no alternative now. We are not responsible. We were forced to take this decision.

“BJP is going through a new phase. As long as there was no external interference in the Bihar alliance, it ran smoothly. Problems began whenever there was external interference,” Kumar said without taking the name of Modi even once in the half-an-hour press conference but made several barbs aimed at him.

Though JD(U)’s decision comes a week after Modi’s elevation in Goa, the party’s National Council had a few months ago set a deadline of December asking BJP to name its prime ministerial candidate. — PTI

MUMBAI: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituent Shiv Sena on Sunday termed the decision of the JD(U) to break away from the BJP-led alliance as unfortunate and said the hasty move will benefit the Congress.

Shiv Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said that NDA will be at a loss due to this decision and it will benefit the Congress.

“If my party wants, I am willing to speak to JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav,” Raut said.

On Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s appointment as BJP Campaign Committee chief, Raut said it was BJP’s internal matter. “NDA is yet to meet to finalise the alliance’s PM candidate,” he said.

Apart from the JD(U), Shiv Sena has been the BJP’s oldest ally. — PTI

NEW DELHI: The much-talked-about reshuffle of the Union Cabinet will take place on Monday, ahead of which CP Joshi and Ajay Maken stepped down as Cabinet Ministers.

Both Joshi and Maken had handed over their resignations on Saturday night. Their resignations were accepted by President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday with immediate effect, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communiqué said.

The reshuffle will take place on Monday evening, a Rashtrapati Bhawan spokesperson said. 

Joshi, who was holding dual portfolios of surface transport and highways and railways, resigned following "directives" from the Congress high command, sources close to him told PTI.

"Whatever new role the party assigns me I will perform that to the best of my ability," Joshi tweeted.

Maken, who was Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, has expressed his desire to work for the party. His resignation comes ahead of Assembly elections in Delhi later this year.

The reshuffle of the Council of Ministers is expected to be the last one in UPA-II with Lok Sabha elections less than a year away. This is the second reshuffle since October last year.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to utilise the opportunity to fill several vacancies in his Council of Ministers.

Singh had earlier said that there were some vacancies and the issue of filling them up was being considered.

The latest vacancies in the council of ministers were created by the resignations of Union Ministers P.K. Bansal and Ashwani Kumar.

Bansal quit as the Railways Minister last month in the wake of bribery scandal involving his nephew and a railway board member.

Kumar resigned as the Law Minister following a controversy over vetting of a CBI probe report on coal blocks allocation scam. — PTI

DEHRA DUN: Three persons were killed in a house collapse in Dehra Dun on Sunday while thousands of Char Dham pilgrims were stranded on Gangotri and Yamunotri routes, as incessant overnight showers across Uttarakhand caused landslips in Uttarkashi district and swelled rivers. 

A house caved in this morning in Prem Nagar area due to heavy rains, a senior police official said, adding thar a 30-year-old man, his 26 year-old wife and 10 year-old child were badly injured.

The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital where they succumbed to their injuries, the official said.

Meanwhile, thousands of pilgrims headed for the Himalayan shrines of Gangotri and Yamunotri got stranded as the routes were closed due to landslips at various points including Piapalmandi, Baraki and Nalupani.

Hotels and dharamshalas in Uttarkashi district are bursting at the seams with Char Dham yatris occupying their lounges due to non-availability of rooms.

A house was swept away at Kharadi by the swirling water of the Yamuna which has submerged the route leading to Yamunotri at Fedi, Chami and Yamuna bridge.

However, no one was injured in the house collapse at Kharadi as the family had evacuated it in anticipation, district authorities in Uttarkashi said.

Ganeshpur Road and Digla Pul near Sangam Chatti on Gangotri route were also swept away by the flash-flood in Assiganga.

State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Minister Yashpal Arya said the administration is fully on the alert to deal with any emergency.

Stranded pilgrims and people living in areas close to the rivers in spate like the Ganga and Bhagirathi are being evacuated to safer places, he said.

The BRO is also busy repairing the roads damaged by rains, Arya said.

Dehra Dun received maximum 220mm of rainfall followed by Uttarakashi (129mm), Tehri (122mm) and Haridwar (107mm), the MeT office here said. — PTI