JD(U) refrains from commenting on Narendra Modi's poll campaign

NEW DELHI: JD-U, which has decided to contest elections on its own in Gujarat, today steered clear of commenting on the month-long poll campaign launched by Chief Minister Narendra Modi from Mehsna.

"What is there for us to say on who adopts what method for one's election campaign. Everybody is free in a democracy to carry out political campaigns," was the brief response of party President Sharad Yadav when asked about Modi's campaign.

Yadav had said yesterday that "BJP is the larger party in the NDA. We will go for alliance with BJP wherever it wants us, but barring in Gujarat".

The JD-U President also downplayed reports about his party contesting elections separately, saying many socialist leaders have campaigned in elections in these areas in the past and that included even RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

The JD-U is beginning the poll campaign for Gujarat from tomorrow with two of its general secretaries Javed Raza and Chandraj Singhvi going on a four-day election tour there.

"Where is the question of any rift with the BJP now when we never fought any election in alliance with that party in Gujarat. You want to show only rift. The NDA alliance is continuing for years.

"All socialist leaders have been visiting Gujarat. All socialist leaders campaign in Gujarat during elections. So will we do as we are fighting the elections in Gujarat separately as we used to do earlier," Yadav said.

He was asked whether BJP and JDU contesting assembly election in Gujarat separately will give an impression of rift between the two in the state.

The JD-U President also disapproved of the arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi in Congress-NCP ruled Maharashtra saying, "Trivedi is not anti-national. If he had made some cartoon, which was found offensive, it would have been better ignored."