 "Federal front is tried, tested and failed front: M Venkaiah Naidu")
The federal front being mooted as an alternative to the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is a "tried, tested and failed" front, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has said.
"First of all, we are seeing what is happening in Bihar. Once again, Bihar is pushed back to 'jungle raj'. There is widespread criticism. None of these leaders have any appeal outside their state. They have some appeal. This 'federal front' is a tried, tested and failed front," he told PTI here in an interview.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was asked whether he saw Nitish Kumar, who called for unity among non-BJP parties to take on the BJP, emerging as an alternative leader for the 2019 general elections.
The trials of fronts as alternative to BJP are riddled with inherent contradictions, Naidu said yesterday.
"There is no alternative to Modi. The so-called alternatives they talk, there are many people who are aspiring to become prime minister. There is no vacancy. Secondly, all these trials of fronts, they are contradictory," he said.
BJP has replaced Congress at the centre-stage of Indian politics with pan-India presence, he said.
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"We are not only a nationalist party. Now, we are a real national party," he said.
Referring to controversial comments made by some leaders within the BJP, Naidu said one should go by the official line of the party.
BJP's focus has been on "development and good governance", he said.
"Some people here and there may say something. It's a democracy. But, one must be guided by what is official line of the party, what is the official line of the government. Our focus, prime minister clearly told us in the Cabinet meeting also, our focus is development and good governance," the Union minister said.