The Hindu : National : BJP alleges secret pact between RJD-Congress

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National

BJP alleges secret pact between RJD-Congress

Bihar Assembly polls as crucial: Ananth Kumar

Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday charged the RJD and the Congress with having a ‘secret alliance' for the forthcoming Assembly polls in Bihar and asked the people to vote the NDA to power for a second term in a row to fast track economic development in the State.

“The RJD may have publicly allied with Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, but it has a ‘secret alliance' with the Congress for the Assembly polls due in October/November”, BJP national general secretary Ananth Kumar told reporters here.

“The RJD and the Congress have been allied with each other for over a decade and the former is very much part of the UPA government at the Centre as it has not withdrawn its support to the government”, he said.

The RJD and the Congress have been steadfast in supporting each other in Bihar and at the national level to such an extent that the former stood like a rock in support of the UPA government on the cut motion moved by the opposition on budget in Parliament earlier year, Mr. Kumar, who is also in charge of the party's affairs in Bihar, said.

Mr. Kumar said that the Congress had been cosy with the RJD over the years and had joined the latter's government in 2000 despite contesting the then Assembly polls on its own and thus, voting for the party would amount to strengthening the hands of Lalu Prasad yet again.

Describing the Bihar Assembly polls as crucial, the BJP leader said its outcome would have a strong impact on national politics.

“The political equations may change at the national level after the Assembly polls in Bihar,” he said without elaborating further.

On the BJP's electoral strategy, Mr. Kumar said the party has decided to make winnability as the criterion for giving tickets to candidates.

Party workers will also seek to woo the electorate at the booth level in the run up to the Assembly polls, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kumar announced the appointment of senior BJP leader Kiran Ghai as the party's media in charge for the Assembly polls, while an influential leader and sister of former Union minister Nagmani, Madhu Kushwaha, joined the saffron party. PTI

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