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JD-U distances itself from BJP's Ram temple stance

February 23, 2009 15:43 IST

Key National Democratic Alliance ally Janata Dal-United said on Monday that it did not subscribe to the Bharatiya Janata Party's recent statements on Ram temple and the alliance will rather fight the polls in Bihar on the issues of "development" and continuing "injustice" to the state.
    
"Our stand is very clear from the beginning. The issue of Ram temple has to be settled either through negotiations or
court order. Uniform Civil code will not be imposed and there would be no talk of ending section 370," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told media-persons in New Delhi, commenting on BJP's promise of enacting a legislation to construct the temple at Ayodhya.
    
"The BJP can express its views as a party. We can also do the same. But an alliance is a different entity. As far as joint
campaign or alliance is concerned, NDA's election issues in Bihar would be development and injustice meted out to Bihar in last five years," the senior JD-U leader said.
    
At the same time, he maintained that JD-U has no hitch on the name of L K Advani as NDA's Prime Ministerial candidate. "There should be no confusion on it. We have already said that. The day BJP declared Advani as their leader, NDA also accepted it," Kumar said when asked whether he would take Advani's name as PM candidate in NDA's election campaign.
    
He also denied any problem with BJP over seat-sharing in Bihar saying, "nothing is undecided between us."

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