Difficult to continue as NDA ally without LK Advani: JD(U)

NEW DELHI: Virtually threatening a pull out, NDA ally JDU today said it would be difficult for it to continue in the alliance in the absence of L K Advani, who resigned from key posts in his party a day after Narendra Modi was anointed as BJP's campaign committee chief. "If he (Advani) is not at the helm of affairs, it will be very difficult for us to continue in the alliance," party general secretary K C Tyagi told reporters.

Raising the party's pitch for a "secular" PM candidate, Tyagi said the party was not commenting on Modi's elevation as the campaign committee chief, but "NDA's prime ministerial candidate should be secular, have a clean and progressive image. We will not compromise on the issue of secularism." Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav yesterday termed Advani's resignation a "serious issue" and "not good for NDA's health," and said he was "deeply saddened" by it. "NDA was forged with the efforts of Atalji and Advaniji. He (Advani) is also the working president and Atalji ( Atal Bihari Vajpayee) is not keeping well.

"So his (Advani) resignation in my opinion is a serious issue and we will convene our own party meeting to discuss the matter...Advanji's resignation is not good for NDA's health," Yadav, who is also the convenor of the NDA, had said.

Advani, one of the founding members of BJP, resigned from the party Parliamentary Board, Election Committee and National Executive, apparently opposing the elevation of his one-time protege Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as election campaign committee chief.

The stand of JD(U) on the issue is crucial for BJP after the rift in the party became wide open with Advani quitting key posts in the organisation.