Desperate rivals of BJP cobbling together an 'impracticable coalition': Jaitley

New Delhi, May 23: "Desperate" rivals of BJP are cobbling together an "impracticable coalition" in Bihar to stop the saffron party from winning the Assembly polls due there later this year, key party strategist Arun Jaitley said today.

Attacking the alliance between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad-led RJD, the Finance Minister said those who had gone to jail and those who had sent them to jail have joined hands to defeat BJP, a reference to Prasad's conviction in fodder scam which was pursued vigorously in courts by Kumar.

Noting BJP's "historic" political success during the last one year in which it formed government in four states while its main rival Congress was defeated in all eight state elections, Jaitley said its opponents had now turned desperate.

"There is desperation among our rivals. They have put together an impracticable coalition to stop us... We are sure that BJP on its own or with the help of our allies will form government in the state," he told reporters.

Asked if there was any possibility of its former ally (JD-U) joining hands with BJP again, he 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.

After their rout in the Lok Sabha election, old foes Prasad and Kumar joined hands and tasted an early success when they outscored BJP in the assembly bye-polls.

But their alliance has come under strain recently with competing demands over state leadership and seat share. Bihar polls are crucial for BJP and the party is pulling out all stops to win there to regain the political momentum after it was routed in Delhi Assembly elections.

It had been on a roll after scoring a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha election and following it up with a string of state election victories before its march was halted by Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi early this.

With the Modi government coming under attack from the opposition over its alleged anti-farmer policies, BJP believes victory in Bihar will give its agenda much-needed political push.

PTI