Missing this polls: JD(U) manifesto

Four of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election is complete, but Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) is yet to come out with a manifesto outlining its electoral agenda this poll season.

While this gives the Opposition fresh ammo to target the ruling party, a section of the JD(U) leaders too feel that the poll document will do no good even if released now.

Initially, JD(U) leaders had said that the party manifesto was ready and will be released around mid-April. Later the date was postponed to month-end, but with that deadline gone too, most of the party leaders are refraining from commenting on the matter. The JD(U) is contesting 17 of the 40 Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar.

"The JD(U) is perhaps the first (mainstream) political party in the country that has not released its manifesto till the fourth phase," said Leader of the Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav.

Senior JD(U) leaders including KC Tyagi said the party leaders were already raising relevant issues mentioned in the manifesto in public forums. "Yes, we do differ with the BJP over one or two issues and this is known to them as well as our opposition. Yet, our work continues and we never compromise on crime, corruption and communalism," Tyagi said.

A source in the JD(U) said the manifesto was ready but due to the party's stand on issues such as Article 370 and Uniform Civil Code, being different from ally BJP, they were "forced" to withhold it.