25/07/2014

 

Has JD(U)-RJD alliance run into rough weather over leadership issue?

 


Patna,(BiharTimes): If reports appearing in a section of media is to be believed the alliance between Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) and Lalu Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal seems to have run into rough weather.

Reports said that Lalu had refused to meet the state JD (U) chief, Bashistha Narayan Singh, in New Delhi on the plea that the protocol demands that either the national president of the party, Sharad Yadav, or former CM, Nitish Kumar, meets him.

However, both Lalu and Nitish denied such reports and tried to underplay that any hitch has erupted on way to talks on a grand alliance.

Whether Lalu really refused to meet Bashistha or not, political observers are of the view that protocoal demands that a national president of the party should meet his counterpart to discuss such a serious issue of alliance. This also shows that Lalu wants to have talks on equal term, if he does not want to have an upper hand.

The latest development has raised a very interesting question as to who will actually dominate the scene?

When the BJP and JD(U) joined hands for the Assembly elections in 2000 and 2005 Nitish Kumar was projected as the chief minister. The saffron party withdrew its claim over the post though it had several big names who can be projected as CM.

With the Assembly election due next year the RJD and JD(U) will have to sort out the issue of chief ministerial candidate soon.

However, political analysts are of the view that this issue was almost settled before they came together a few weeks back––that is on the eve of Rajya Sabha by-election.

Both, especially Lalu Prasad, has agreed to make compromise.

Now the problem with Nitish is that if Jitan Ram Manjhi is projected as CM candidate what will he do. Will he move to New Delhi as the Rajya Sabha member and finally come face to face with Narendra Modi as prime minister in Parliament? Or will he remain confined to the state politics and work to consolidate his own party as well as alliance. There is fear that he may gradually lose his grip over the party as well as relevance. Either RJD may consolidate its position or Manjhi himself may emerge somewhat stronger––or the latter may be compelled to rely more on RJD than JD(U) for support.

If Nitish projects himself as the candidate for the post of CM in the next year Assembly election then what will happen to Manjhi. Will he once again become a minister in Nitish cabinet? If he is ignored there is likelihood of the BJP ‘hijacking’ him and making him as its own chief ministerial candidate. Like Mayawati in UP in mid-1990s and 2002 the saffron party would get a Mahadalit CM candidate to back.
The case of RJD is even more unique. Its leader Lalu Prasad Yadav can not become the member of Parliament or Assembly––obviously because of the court ruling. So there is at present no question of he entering the Upper House of Parliament. His spouse Rabri Devi or daughter Misa Bharati will be too inexperienced or weak to confront the NaMo-led government. The only thing the RJD chief would get will be a bungalow and some facilities in the national capital.

If Rabri chooses to confine herself in Bihar what will be her role? Will she agree to work as deputy CM under Nitish Kumar? May be. After all she and her husband get all the facilities of of former CMs here in Patna.

Lalu may seek more than his pound of flesh. If his party gets more seats in the next Assembly election he may bargain for more––both a post of deputy CM in Bihar and Rajya Sabha berth for daughter.

Anyway all these are guess works and both the parties will have to go a long way before actually finalizing a full-fledged alliance. It may take some more days or weeks. At present they may just settle to contest the by-election for 10 seats to be held on August 21.



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