This Article is From Jan 24, 2011

Nitish slams ally BJP over rally for Kashmir

Patna/Delhi: The BJP's insistence, on going through with its Tiranga Yatra, has once again flared up tensions with alliance partner JD(U).

"What I want to say is we fight for every problem, we fight together, we are two different parties and this is a BJP's program," said BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Worried over a possible communal backlash, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the BJP, calling its yatra meaningless.

"Given the kind of tension prevailing in the valley, this yatra has no meaning and I don't support this," said Nitish.

His party president, Sharad Yadav, had earlier said he tried to talk the BJP out of it.

"Since the Kashmir issue is so sensitive, I had disapproved of the yatra. There are other issues in the country which need more attention," said Sharad Yadav.

"What the JD(U) has said is quite sensible if they don't want to hear our words and the PM and Omar's, at least listen to your ally," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari.

The strain between the allies surfaced during the campaigning for the Bihar Assembly polls when Nitish refused to allow Narendra Modi and Varun Gandhi to campaign for the state.

The big victory had put a stop to months of friction between the two allies.

The parties managed to sort out the disagreement just in time for the elections. The question, now, is will the Yatra have an impact on an otherwise firm and steady alliance in Bihar.

 
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