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JD(U) threatens to cut ties with BJP

July 31, 2004 17:15 IST

The Janata Dal (United) today threatened to snap ties with its National Democratic Alliance partner, the BJP, if it returned to its Hindutva agenda.

"If they (BJP) return to the old agenda (Hindutva), then we will not be with them (in the NDA). There cannot be any two opinions on this," senior JD(U) leader Digvijay Singh said briefing reporters on the National Executive of the JD(U), which began its two-day session in New Delhi today.

Know your party Janata Dal United   

The political resolution being discussed at the meeting clearly stated that secularism was the strength of JD(U), he said. "We shall stick to secularism and oppose fundamentalism," he said, adding that slogans based on religion had failed in the country.

Insiders said the review of JD(U)'s relationship with BJP-led NDA became the focus of the meeting with speakers suggesting that the party should sever its ties with the saffron party if it wanted to improve its electoral fortune.

Secularists within JD(U) are unhappy over the party continuing its alliance with BJP since the latter was returning to hardcore Hindutva ideology. They felt that the party suffered at the hustings because of its alliance with "communal" BJP, and that and felt that unless it snaps ties, its future would continue to be in doldrums.

JD(U) President George Fernandes had sought to mollify them by saying yesterday that the decision on selecting alliance partners for the coming assembly elections in some states would be taken at the "appropriate time". However, Digvijay Singh said there was no reference to choosing new alliance partners as "we are still in the NDA".

NDA to boycott tainted ministers in Parliament

The political resolution also referred to the continuance of "tainted" ministers in the Union Cabinet and demanded their resignation following the tradition that chargesheeted persons should not be in the Government, he added.

"We follow the Westminster pattern where tradition is more important (than technicalities)," he said, rejecting the contention that a person can continue in the government till he or she is proved guilty by the court of law.



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