The ruling Janata Dal(U) has not released its manifesto yet, though it is ready, while all mainstream parties in Bihar have released theirs ahead of the election. Being an alliance partner of the BJP, the JD(U) is said to be “scared” of releasing it as the party has reiterated its stand on contentious issues such as Article 370, the uniform civil code, Ayodhya and the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
“The party manifesto is ready and will be released in the last week of the month…there is nothing to read between the lines in it,” State party chief Basistha Narayan Singh told presspersons recently. Other party leaders, though, refused to make any comment on the delay. “You better ask our party president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar … I do not wish to make a comment on this,” a senior leader told The Hindu.
‘Double standards’
However, Prem Chandra Mishra, Congress leader and MLC, said, “How could the JD(U) release its manifesto with its official stand on all contentious issues in the company of the BJP ... if they release their manifesto, their double standards will be exposed.”
The Opposition RJD leaders too echoed the view. Sources attributed the delay to the second phase poll as “three of the five seats fell in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal”. The minority-dominated Kishanganj, Katihar and Purnia seats went to the polls on Thursday, along with Bhagalpur and Banka. The BJP has left these seats to the JD(U). “It would have been an embarrassment for the JD(U) leaders and candidates to make comment on all these contentious issues in the campaign … so, now as elections are over in these constituencies, the party may release it in a low-key manner,” RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said.
Mr. Kumar said, “We’ve made three things clear: Firstly, there will be no talk over abrogation of Article 370, the uniform civil code will not be imposed and thirdly, solution to the Ayodhya issue will either be decided by the court or by mutual consent…our stand remains the same.”