BJP-JD(U) alliance 'atal', will fight polls under Nitish: Amit Shah

Setting to rest speculation over fate of his party's tie-up with Janata Dal (United), BJP president Amit Shah asserted on Thursday that ir alliance is "atal" (firm) and that it will fight Bihar assembly elections next year under leership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

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JD(U)-BJP's 'Atal' alliance

" JD(U)-BJP alliance is 'atal'. Both parties will go to elections toger and we will fight under leership of Nitish Kumar. This is clear as far as Bihar is concerned," Shah said.

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He was asked if BJP is considering fighting State election, slated to be held by end of next year, on its own. Kumar, who is also JD(U) president, has been at receiving end of criticism from some BJP leers, including Union Minister Giriraj Singh, over a host of issues. A section of saffron party leers even pitched for Kumar making way for a BJP leer at helm in state. In turn, JD(U) leers have been hitting back at ir BJP critics.

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Amit Shah on alliance

Shah played down unease in alliance, saying it is natural for some differences to crop up at local level and that this is an indication of a healthy alliance. 'Matbhed' (difference of opinion) has t changed into 'manbhed' (change of heart), he said. Shah's unambiguous endorsement of Kumar's leership of alliance in Bihar is likely to end bickering among ir leers. After Kumar decided to keep his party out of Modi government, apparently to protest offer of only one ministerial berth to his party, saffron alliance in Bihar has been marked by a sense of unease.

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