NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday disapproved of the critical comments made by the National Democratic Alliance convener and Janata Dal (United) leader, George Fernandes, about the functioning of the Bihar Government.

"We are partners in the Bihar Government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said. "We disapprove of and disagree with Mr. Fernandes' comments about Mr. Nitish Kumar and the Bihar Government."

However, while disassociating the BJP from the statements made by Mr. Fernandes, Mr. Prasad preferred not to comment about Mr. Fernandes continuing as NDA convenor. "That is for the NDA to decide." He also added that what was happening in the JD (U) was an "internal matter" of that party, but the BJP could not remain a silent spectator while the Bihar Government was being criticised, for it was a coalition partner.

On September 8 during a tour of Bihar, Mr. Fernandes described the style of functioning of Mr. Kumar and JD (U) president Sharad Yadav as "autocratic" and "dictatorial". He had also criticised the tie-up between the JD (U) and the Apna Dal for the coming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, although the decision was approved by the JD (U) national executive committee.

This is the first time in the last one decade, since the JD (U) became an ally of the BJP that the party has officially criticised Mr. Fernandes. The BJP leadership gave the impression that it was forced to do this after Mr. Fernandes repeatedly criticised the Nitish Kumar Government over the last several days.

Yet another embarrassment awaits the BJP as Mr. Fernandes is scheduled to participate in a function to observe Lohia's birth anniversary and where he will be sharing the dais with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

With the BJP getting ready to fight an all-out electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh, and Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav its main target, how would the BJP explain the cosying up between Mr. Fernandes and Mr. Yadav to its cadre or its supporters? BJP leaders from Uttar Pradesh admitted that it would be a problem.

In the JD (U) the view is that Mr. Fernandes is more of a problem for the BJP, with which he has become closely identified.

It would be up to the BJP to see what it wants to do about Mr. Fernandes' continuing as convener of the NDA, a senior leader said. As for the JD (U), the view was that after internal party elections for the post of party president in which Mr. Fernandes lost heavily to Mr. Sharad Yadav, it had become clear to the cadre of the JD (U) where Mr. Fernandes stood.

The JD (U) view is that it was an open secret that Mr. Fernandes had moved away from the JD (U) ideologically many years ago, and was closer to the BJP. He was, therefore, now the BJP's problem.

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