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Coming out in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge at the Congress that it "uses and throws the people of an alliance", Janata Dal (United) leader Neeraj Kumar on Sunday said it was only natural of all partners in the Opposition bloc--INDIA--to hold divergent views on different issues while having their own vote banks, policies and principles.
"The INDIA bloc was founded despite clear differences and ideological positions between these parties and the Congress. The differences were inevitable as the partners in the alliance have their own positions and principles and cater to their individual vote banks," Kumar told ANI in Patna on Sunday. Claiming that the Opposition bloc does not have a united policy or a tall leader, the JD(U) leader said it was normal that differences between the partners would come to the fore. JD(U) supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was one of the primary architects of the INDIA bloc, touring states and bringing regional Opposition forces on a single platform, pulled the plug on the erstwhile ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) in Bihar and also exited the INDIA bloc, citing differences. Taking a further swipe at the Opposition bloc against the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, the JD(U) leader said, "They (INDIA bloc) have no policy, intent or a leader. It was only expected that the differences between the INDIA parties would eventually come to the fore." Earlier, on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress, accusing it of "using and throwing the people of an alliance", drawing a contrast with the BJP's way of handling its partners in the NDA. Addressing a public rally of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at Palnadu in Andhra Pradesh, PM Modi said that the NDA "has both regional aspirations and the nation's progress" at its core. "In the NDA, we take everyone along while, on the other hand, there is the Congress which has only one agenda--to use and throw partners in an alliance. Today, the Congress may have formed an INDI-alliance, but their thinking remains the same," PM Modi said. Notably, the BJP has formed an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a former NDA partner, and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) of actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. PM Modi added that the aim of the NDA was to build a developed Andhra Pradesh for a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India). "The NDA gives equal importance to both the regional aspirations of the partners and the nation's progress. The support for us, going into these elections, is growing and more and more partners are joining us. We are getting stronger with every passing day. Both Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan have been working to uphold the rights of the people here for a long time. We (Centre) have been working for you day and night, for the development of Andhra Pradesh. Together, the NDA aims to build a developed Andhra Pradesh for a Viksit Bharat (developed India)," PM Modi said. (ANI)
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