IN Bihar, BJP & JD-U Will Together Contest 2019 LS Elections: Amit Shah

BJP and Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal -United led by Nitish Kumar have pledged to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha poll together in the eastern state dismissing speculation in political circles that their relations are strained. There are 40 Lok Sabha seats from the state where the two parties are sharing power. After reaching an agreement with the JD-U President and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in Patna on Thursday , BJP’s National President Amit  Shah  said “We will contest together and will all the 40 LS seats” as the main Opposition RJD and divided Congress with some smaller  groups are readying to take on RJP and BJP . In 2014 too similar attempts were made and we defeated all of them. In 2019, NDA will achieve bigger victory and with an absolute victory.   “In Uttar Pradesh our tally will go up from 72 and may be 73 or more in the LS poll, said a beaming Amit Shah, stated to be principal strategist for BJP. There is a total  of 80 Lok Sabha Seats from Uttar Pradesh.  Praising all round development amidst manifold crises under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said BJP has emerged as the world’s biggest political party supported by all sections of the Indian society. Amit Shah also had  a dig at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for raising questions about surgical strikes conducted  by the Indian Army , saying with his affinity to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad he will appreciate only fodder and not such a praiseworthy military operation.Also dismissing media speculation about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar feeling uncomfortable in the BJP-led coalition and mulling to return to the Grand Alliance comprising the RJD and the Congress, Shah said Nitish Kumar himself has made it clear that he will have no track with tainted party and politicians. He had a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for raising questions on surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army against their Pak counterparts. Shah said Gandhi will appreciate  multi- million INR fodder  scam  conducted  by the RJD  supremo  but not a military operation conducted by the Indian military. The fact is, India is only the third country in the world after the US and Israel to undertake a surgical strike of this kind. This showed the strength of the country, he said while addressing a function of BJP office bearers at Patna.The function was also attended by Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Ashwini Choubey and Ram Kripal Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and state president Nityanand Rai. Referring to the Grand Alliance in the state, he said its only agenda is removal of Modi as the NDA is working for eradication of poverty, corruption and unemployment. Shah said the BJP had made a humble beginning with only 10 members in Jan Sangh, its predecessor , and now has 11 crore members spread across the country, adding it is a party wedded to an ideology, for which the party cadres are making all possible sacrifices in different parts of the country. He also dismissed  efforts made by regional parties like the SP, the BSP, the RJD and the TMC to form an anti-BJP front  with the Congress throwing in its support, saying “we defeated them all even in 2014 when they all were arraigned against us. Moreover, the NDA is going strong. If we lost Chandrababu Naidu, we got Nitish Kumar back into our fold.”