Patna, Dec. 6: The Janata Dal United and its former ally BJP are blowing hot and cold at each other. After warming up on the issue of demonetisation, the two parties are now sparring over the BJP's land-buying spree in the months before demonetisation.
The JDU initially demanded a judicial probe into the issue, but hardened its stance on Monday when it demanded a joint parliamentary committee investigation into the purchase of land by the BJP, which India's ruling party says was for opening offices in every district.
This was after chief minister Nitish Kumar declared that the BJP should come out with the details of land purchases made by it.
"Our stand is that the land purchases had been made nationwide, so why investigate only Bihar?" JDU national general secretary Shyam Rajak said. "It should be done nationwide by a joint parliamentary committee." Apart from Bihar, reports have emerged of land purchases by the BJP in Odisha.
Rajak added: "There are examples in Bihar where the same plot has been purchased through two different deeds. The whole purchase of land in Bihar has been done from the month of August this year right till November 5 - just three days before demonetisation was announced. Why does a party of 36 years have to purchase land this year?"
The BJP, which had been profusely thanking Nitish for the support he extended on the cash recall, has reverted to its aggressive posture.
"The Bihar chief minister is being misguided by a group of persons who do not know anything about land purchases," said newly appointed state BJP president Nityanand Rai. "All the land purchases made by us are transparent and we have nothing to hide. If the JDU feels that there are irregularities in the purchase, they run the government and have the agency to investigate. Let them investigate the matter."
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was even more aggressive. "Why does not the JDU ask Lalu Prasad from where he got Rs 100 crore for constructing the Rabri Bhavan in Delhi?" Sushil retorted. "There are parties like the CPI and the BSP who do not have a single MLA but run their state offices from posh areas of Patna. The BJP, on the other hand, does not have its own office. The land purchase has been done in a transparent and legal way. The BJP will give an account of its expenditure to the income tax department."
In Bihar, the BJP has purchased land in 25 districts, including Patna. The state BJP office currently operates from a government bungalow on Beer Chand Patel Marg. The party is reluctant to declare where the new office will be.
"When we lay down the foundation stone, people will know about it," said a BJP leader who did not want to be identified. The JDU leaders, in private conversations, admit that it will be very difficult to nail the BJP legally.
"Even if black money has been used, the land owners will not admit it, but the land deal has become an issue which can be used to break the perception growing among people and our allies - the Congress and the RJD - that we are getting close to the BJP again," said a senior JDU leader under cover of anonymity.
Nitish's strong defence of demonetisation had virtually isolated him not only from his Grand Alliance partners; his image as a rallying point for anti-Modi forces had taken a severe beating as well, with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee rushing in to fill that vacuum.
While Nitish's party has started raising the BJP land deal issue aggressively, his government has remained a mute spectator and refused to order an investigation.
