The Hindu : National : JD(U) to release separate manifesto

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Sunday, Oct 02, 2005

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National

JD(U) to release separate manifesto

Special Correspondent

PATNA: The senior JD (U) leader and NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate, Nitish Kumar, on Saturday maintained that his party would come out with its own manifesto on October 4 because of "ideological differences" with the BJP.

Speaking to reporters after inducting several Congress leaders, including former MLA Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Mr. Kumar said that the BJP did not see eye to eye with the JD (U) on crucial issues such as reservation for Muslim and Christian dalits. He claimed that his party's relations with the BJP were limited to an electoral seat sharing arrangement and not based on ideology. The two parties would, however, jointly campaign in the elections as in the past.

Mr. Kumar cautioned his predecessor and RJD supremo, Lalu Prasad, from harping on the Railways' achievements to woo the voters. "If he does so he would regret it later." The JD (U) leader claimed that the NDA Government had brought a turnaround and Mr. Prasad was only reaping the benefits. Accusing that the increase in the Railways' revenue was partially due to the overloading of wagons in "utter disregard" of safety norms, Mr. Kumar warned that the Railways would have to face the consequences later.

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