JD(U) V-P unhappy with party backing CAB in LS

Patna: Poll strategist and JD(U) vice-president Prashant Kishor has expressed strong resentment against the Citizen Amendment Bill (CAB), which was supported by his party in the Lok Sabha.

In a hard-hitting tweet on late Monday night, Kishor said that he is “disappointed to see JD(U) supporting CAB that discriminates right of citizenship on the basis of religion. It’s incongruous with the party’s constitution that carries the word secular thrice on the very first page and the leadership that is supposedly guided by Gandhian ideals”.

Last month, after Union home minister Amit Shah gave a statement in the Rajya Sabha and claimed that NRC process will be carried out across the country, Kishor had raised his opposition and said, “15 plus states with more than 55 percent of India’s population have non-BJP ministers. Wonder how many of them are consulted and are on-board for NRC in their respective states”.

His statement was earlier taken as JD (U)’s official line. However, political analysts now feel that his statement could create trouble for the party, which has been working hard to retain power next year.

A section in the party, including Rajya Sabha MP and JD(U)’s national spokesperson Pavan Varma, has also come out and echoed similar views on the issue. Varma urged the party boss Nitish Kumar to reconsider the decision to support the Bill, which is likely to be tabled in the Upper House on Wednesday.

“I urge Nitish Kumar to reconsider support to CAB in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill is unconstitutional, discriminatory and against the unity and harmony of the country, apart from being against the secular principles of the JD(U). Gandhiji would have strongly disapproved it,” Varma tweeted.

Kishor’s tweet is significant as he is known as a party poll strategist and also viewed as a bridge between Nitish Kumar and many key national leaders. In the 2015 Assembly elections, he had coined many catchy slogans for the party, which, according to political analysts, helped Nitish Kumar score a hat-trick as Chief Minister.

However, a large section in the party feels that the decision to support the Bill in the Lok Sabha was taken after analysing all pros and cons and consulting party leaders.

While terming Kishor’s statement as his “personal opinion”, JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan said, “the decision was taken with everyone’s consent”. Taking a dig at the JD(U), leaders from RJD supported Kishor’s statement.