JD-U's unfortunate exit to weaken fight against Cong: Rajnath

BJP President Rajnath Singh on Sunday said he was "saddened" by the "unfortunate" walking out of the Janata Dal-United from the National Democratic Alliance and maintained that it would weaken the fight against the Congress.

"We always treated JD-U as a younger brother and our relationship of 17 years was not a political but an emotional one. It was never made under pressure," he said. Singh was speaking at a programme organised by the youth wing of the BJP in New Delhi.

"When a coalition is formed, it is based on trust and mutual understanding. When that goes, it is really sad. We can be betrayed but we will never betray," he said.

Seeking to put the blame for the split on JD-U, the BJP President asked if the party's made a mistake by choosing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as head of the election campaign committee for the 2014 elections.

"By withdrawing from the alliance JD-U has weakened our fight against the Congress. By breaking this relationship how do they think that the country can be freed of the Congress rule," Singh wondered. He said if Modi was being considered communal because of the 2002 post-Godhra riots, there have been thousands of riots in 24 years of Congress rule since Independence.

Singh pointed out that in 2000 the BJP was a bigger party than the JD-U in Bihar as it had 60 seats while JD-U won only "36/37 seats". But still, the BJP chose a JD-U leader to become the chief minister, he said. He warned the JD-U that a party which does not care for the feelings of the people in a democratic country cannot survive for long.