Patna:
With his alliance with the BJP flat-lining, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar confirmed this morning that he has spoken to BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and
LK Advani. Sources said the Chief Minister allegedly offered no reassurance about salvaging the partnership to contest the national elections together.
Instead, Mr Kumar indicated that he's already working on new plans for his party, the Janata Dal United or JDU. He confirmed to reporters this morning that he is in talks to examine the viability of a non-BJP, non-Congress "federal front" - a grouping of regional powerhouses that was pitched by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a few days ago to Mr Kumar and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
With Mr Kumar proving to be unreceptive, the BJP deployed its former chief Nitin Gadkari to meet in Delhi with Sharad Yadav, the president of the JDU. Mr Yadav is also the convenor of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA. The group of nine parties is anchored by the BJP; its biggest partner is the JDU.
Mr Kumar the JDU want to end their 18-year alliance with the BJP because it has chosen Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to lead its election campaign. The JDU is worried that this makes Mr Modi's selection as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate inevitable.
The JDU and other detractors allege that Mr Modi did not do enough to protect hundreds of Muslims during Gujarat's communal riots in 2002.
All JDU legislators have been asked to stay in Patna over the weekend for consultations that are expected to culminate with a formal announcement of the break-up.