Although the Grand Alliance election campaigns appears to be on disarray, a cross constituency study reveals that it may not transform into advantage NDA as it itself is facing similar sort of problems.
The tension between RJD and Congress over Madhepura and Supaul seat has somewhat dampen the spirit yet, came late as it is, RJD leader Tejashawi Yadav warning of stern action to his party men may help to clear the Air.
Similarly, the BJP top brass has to swing into action to control the open revolt by some of the leader belonging to upper caste. While former Union minister C. P. Thakur was summoned to Delhi, the party's national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav took party MLC Sachchitanand Rai and sitting M.P. Satish Chandra Dubey to Delhi. The latter is denied ticket this time.
These three leaders had threatened to ensure the defeat of NDA candidates in their respective areas. Satish Dubey and Sachchitanand Rai had even declared to fight as Independent candidates on Valmiki Nagar and Maharajganj Parliamentary constituencies respectively.
However, the Saffron party failed to persuade its former MP, Putul Kumari Singh to cancel her nomination from the Banka Lok Sabha constituency as independent candidate where JDU' Girdhari Yadav is NDA's candidate.
On the other hand, In the Rahul Gandhi's Supaul rally for Congress candidate Ranjeet Ranjan on 20th April, Tejashawi Yadav's absence once again gave fuel to the speculations of differences. But the contention appears to be confine to the Jan Adhikar Party's Pappu Yadav as he is creating a triangular fight in Madhepura where Sharad Yadav is RJD's candidate against JDU's Dinesh Chand Yadav. The Supaul Congress Candidate Ranjeet Ranjan is Pappu Yadav's wife.
Meanwhile, the decision of Congress and RJD rebels Dr. Shakeel Ahmed and Ashraf Ali Fatmi respectively, to contest in Madhubani from where Badrinath Purve of Vikassheel Insan Party is contesting as a Grand Alliance partner, has set off another controversy. However, In a latest development A. A. Fatmi has taken back his nomination.
In grand Alliance, RJD alone has the wherewithal to compete with the formidable BJP in booth level reach but there seems to be huge communication gap in areas where its allies Congress, RLSP and VIP are in the fray. Moreover, the lukewarm campaigning in some constituency has not been going down well with GA supporters. Still, they say, they don't have any option but to stand behind the Alliance’s candidates.
In Ujiarpur Parliament constituency from where Upendra Kushwaha is opposition candidate, some RJD supporter wonders about the election symbol of RLSP. ‘Where will we cast our votes', one of them told Bihar Times. Similar issues are reported from Khagharia from where Vikasheel Insan Party's founder Mukesh Sahni is contesting.
Lack of mutual understanding is visible between Congress and RJD. In Samastipur, where Congress' Dr. Ashok Ram is contesting RJD district leaders were waiting till a few days ago for communication from the Candidate.
Moreover, Tejpratap Yadav's action has embarrassed the RJD. He has recently launched Lalu Rabri Morcha and fielded candidates against RJD in Sheohar, Jehanabad and Hajipur.
However, a RJD leader downplayed the situation and said that these are minor issues and as election in the particular constituency approaches, we will sort them out. 'The recently stitched caste combination is working very well for us on ground', he said.
BJP, on the other hand, has been mobilising the vast resources and campaigning on multiple front: Prime Minister is himself leading the charge in holding rallies while state leadership is trying to connect with electorate through various means. Electorate are receiving recorded calls of State leaders through which they are being informed about the NDA’s rallies as well as central governments achievements in last 5 years.
Curiously, CM Nitish Kumar is rigorously campaigning and preferring to highlight the works of central government more than his own. The focus of Nitish Kumar on Madhepura seat, where he is camping for more than ten days, according to analyst is due to his personal interest in seeing Sharad Yadav defeated than his party's candidate victory. It indicates the level of a grudge CM holds against his former colleague.
Undeniably, in the absence of Lalu Yadav, Grand Alliance is missing the crucial binding force when it matters most.
