BJP rules out alliance with Trinamool Congress, JD-U

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS): The BJP on Saturday ruled out any possibility of an alliance with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Janata Dal-United in the forthcoming assembly elections in West Bengal and Bihar.

“The BJP and TMC are politically opposed to each other and hence there is no question of any coalition with it,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said at a press conference here.

Asked if there was any possibility of an alliance with the Trinamool, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party was in the opposition and will continue to oppose the Trinamool in West Bengal.

“That should not be confused with the constitutional relationship between the central government and the government of West Bengal. The relationship of the central government with the government of West Bengal is different from the BJP’s relationship with TMC. Government to government, we will support each government,” he added.

On the possibility of an alliance with the JD-U, Jaitley said: “I don’t know but it does not seem so in Bihar.”

“In Bihar, those who went to jail and those who sent them there are together now,” he said, without taking any names.

“Our party hopes to win the polls that are to take place in Bihar soon. An impractical coalition is trying to stop us. I am sure we, along with our allies, will come to power in Bihar,” Jaitley said.

On the possibility of an alliance with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, Jaitley said: “We agree on many issues in parliament and sometimes disagree, but as far as election is concerned, we have our own strategy.”