Is BJP preparing to go it alone in Bihar?

With the Janata Dal-United having taken a firm stand on the Narendra Modi issue, Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing for an eventuality of going it alone in Bihar in the next Lok Sabha elections.

An indication to this effect was given by the party leaders from Bihar while discussing the political situation in the state with the top party leadership.

The central leadership also asked the party leaders to strengthen the party at the grassroots level and reach out to the masses.

Top BJP leaders from the state which met the party leadership here discussed the current political situation arising after JD-U sharpened its attack on Modi. JD-U is also exerting pressure on BJP for early declaration of its prime ministerial candidate having "secular credentials".

"The party's 10-member core group from Bihar unit discussed with the central leadership the current political situation. Party leaders from the state have entrusted the responsibility of taking a decision on the political situation in Bihar to the party's central leadership," BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters after the meeting.

Hussain said BJP President Rajnath Singh has directed the party's state unit to further strengthen the organisation in Bihar.

"No decision has been taken on the coalition yet," said Hussain when asked whether any decision on continuing the alliance with JD-U has been taken.

On the current war of words between leaders of JD-U and BJP over Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a possible prime ministerial candidate of NDA, the BJP leader said "whatever their and our leaders may say, we are running this coalition for the welfare of 10 crore people of Bihar."

"We have been together for opposing the wrong policies of Congress. JD-U and BJP have both benefitted from the alliance. It is in Bihar's and NDA's benefit," he said.

Senior party leaders from Bihar like deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Ministers including Nand Kishore Yadav, BJP state unit chief Mangal Pandey, former Union Minister C P Thakur, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, besides Shahnawaz Hussain met party president Rajnath Singh and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, General Secretary (Organisation) Ram Lal and Joint General Secretary (Organisation) Saudan Singh.

The BJP President also asked party leaders from the state to refrain from commenting on JD-U leaders who criticise Modi or speak anything against the alliance.

On its alliance with JD-U, Hussain said "from our side, there will be no attempt to weaken the alliance which is working in the interest of 10 crore people of Bihar. We will keep strengthening this alliance".

He refrained from replying to queries on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's criticism of Modi, saying "we have already given our reply."

BJP has asked its party leaders in the state to prepare its booth-level workers and also to assess the ground situation in all 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state ahead of the next elections.

"Party President Rajnath Singh has given some instructions to the state party leaders. Besides strengthening the party in the state, the BJP leaders have been asked to prepare booth- level workers also," Hussain said.