Lalu woos Maya, Manjhi to tackle post-Nitish scenario
Patna,(BiharTimes): With uncertainty continuing in Bihar both the major constituents of the Grand Alliance––RJD and JD(U)––are now busy building new alliances and expanding the support base.
While chief minister Nitish Kumar stillhopes to get the support of Extremely Backward Castes, besides that of his own caste, Kurmi, Rashtriya Janata Dal is leaving no stone unturned to woo Bahujan Samaj Party in the UPA fold.
Besides, RJD chief Lalu Prasad is hopeful that former CM, Jitan Ram Manjhi, another Dalit face, as well as Union minister of state for HRD, Upendra Kushwaha, may automatically come over to his side if Nitish drifts towards the BJP. Their antipathy to the Bihar CM is well-known.
Lalu, on his part is trying to bring together Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in UP. He wants BSP supremo to be made the common opposition candidate for Phulpur Lok Sabha by-poll. The seat got vacated after BJP’s Keshav Prasad Maurya became the deputy CM.
Even if Mayawati is not made the common candidate of the opposition, or if she lost the by-poll, there is another offer for her. Lalu is ready to send her to Rajya Sabha from Bihar.
Musahar, the caste of Manjhi, and Ravidas, the caste of Mayawati, together form about seven to eight per cent of votes in Bihar. The support base of Ram Vilas Paswan is largely confined to Dussadhs.
If Kushwaha, a Koeri heavyweight, crosses over––as is being speculated––than RJD would be in a relatively better wicket.
But its biggest problem is the absence of chief ministerial face. With he himself convicted and cases filed against youngest son and eldest daughter, there is hardly any leader within the family. Even outside the family there is hardly any leader to match the stature of chief minister.
In contrast Nitish is no doubt still the best chief ministerial face. It is another thing that his party’s support base is not expanding. If Nitish really sacks Tejashwi and breaks the Grand Alliance he will be left with no choice but to rely on the BJP.
But observers are of the view that unlike in the year between 2005 and 2013 this time he would be a weak CM as the BJP is very strong nationally. This time Nitish will have to survive on the terms and conditions of the BJP.
The upper castes and EBC votes, which he assiduously cultivated, are now with the saffron party. So he sees no hope of going alone.
If legally Lalu and his family is in trouble, politically Nitish is groping in the dark.
If a big chunk of Dalit votes of Bihar and UP are cobbled up with Yadavs and Muslims––as Lalu is working on it––the UPA may see some glimmer of hope nationally.
