17/07/2014

 

Lalu, Nitish almost joined hands in 2005: Shivanand

 


Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as Nitish Kumar had on Monday snubbed those Janata Dal (United) leaders, who are still indulging in Lalu-bashing veteran politician Shivanand Tiwary on Tuesday released a letter to the media claiming that he had, after Feb 2005 Assembly election, mooted a proposal for an alliance between Bade Bhai and Chote Bhai so that the latter form the government in the state after a hung Assembly.

The letter disclosed that in 2005 he had suggested that Lalu Prasad support Nitish. Both in fact had agreed but Lalu later backed out. Tiwary said Lalu, who was the railway minister in the UPA-I, was not clear on the issue then.

Tiwary’s letter has acquired importance after Nitish, without taking anyone’s name, criticized the party leaders, like Islampur MLA, Rajeev Ranjan, for warning the party against alliance with the RJD.

Nitish made it clear that there is a possibility of tie-up with other parties, such as, RJD, Congress and Left, in the light of the situation emerging in Bihar and the rest of the country.

According to him defeating the BJP should be the primary goal.

On the other hand Tiwary said he was part of a serious effort for the reunion of Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar soon after the February 2005 Assembly polls.

“I had suggested to Lalu that he extend the RJD’s support to the JD(U) and install Nitish as chief minister,” said the letter.

But, according to Tiwary, Lalu wanted Nitish Kumar to become a minister in Delhi in the Congress-led UPA government. Tiwary said he told Lalu that it was not possible as Nitish Kumar had already served as a Union minister for six years.

“I said a possibility (of RJD and JD-U sharing power) would fructify only if Lalu accepts Nitish as chief minister. Lalu agreed and asked me to talk to Nitish on this. I discussed the possibility with Nitish Kumar in Delhi in presence of Lalan Singh and P K Shahi. Nitish agreed to the proposal, but it was Lalu who changed his mind on this soon afterwards,” Tiwary said.

“If it had fructified at that time, one wonders what shape Bihar’s political landscape would have been right now,” the letter further said.


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