Hyderabad: Senior BJP leader and Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu today dismissed as “tried and failed experiments” the ongoing efforts by some parties to resurrect Janata Dal and said his party saw “no problem” with it.
“These are tried and failed experiments,” Naidu told PTI here when asked about reported move by some parties to unite the constituents of erstwhile Janata Parivar.
“How many times, this Janata Parivar came together, fought together and then broke together and then formed different committees and different parties. I have no problems. If all of them come together (again), we have no problems,” he said.
Naidu's comments came against the backdrop of reports that Samajwadi Party, Janata Dal (United), Janata Dal (Secular), Indian National Lok Dal and Samajwadi Janata Party are in dialogue for unity among Janata Parivar outfits.
As for Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's statement that he was ready to become the supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi if he granted special category status to the state and fulfilled other long pending demands, Naidu said he does not know if Bihar fits into the criteria set by the National Development Council for according it special category status.
“My point is any good thing done by any government should be supported. If the Bihar Chief Minister wants to support the Narendra Modi government, he is welcome. Government of India is trying its best to take care of all the states, including the backward regions of the country,” Naidu said.
“Whatever support needed to be given to Bihar from the government as per rules, regulations and procedures...will be given to Bihar also,” he said.
Manjhi had said yesterday, “If you fulfil your commitment to provide special category status to Bihar and other long pending demands like reimbursing Rs 1,000 crore spent by the state from its limited resources to repair national highways, I will become your (Modi's) supporter.”