Bihar BJP president Nityananda Rai has termed as “drama” Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s offer of a Rajya Sabha seat to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader, Mayawati after she quit her seat on Thursday.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr Rai said that both Mr Yadav (due to graft charges) and Ms Mayawati (due to shifting political ground) were trying to reclaim a narrative that had slipped out of their hands.
“This is purely political drama. Mayawatiji had only eight months left in her current term, and she knows that the number of MLAs she has in Uttar Pradesh are not enough to send her back to the Upper House in April. She must have sounded out Lalu Prasad Yadav in advance, that he make this offer the day she resigns. Mayawatiji has no “ dard ” (feels no pain) for Dalits, the results of the UP polls are proof enough of that. The election of Ram Nath Kovindji as President of India as an NDA candidate has rattled all those who are trying to do politics in the name of Ambedkar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s actions, of memorials in the name of Ambedkar in all the places that have had significance in his life, of the BHIM App, and the election of Mr Kovind are demonstrative of his commitment to the cause of Dalits,” he said.
“As for Laluji, he is losing control of his own political narrative rapidly. He feels that by catching hold of such issues, controversial issues, he can distract attention from what is happening, protect himself,” he added.
He also demanded that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar disclose to the people of Bihar the contents of his 50 minute conversation with his deputy, Tejaswi Yadav a few days ago.
“Nitish Kumar had himself declared that Tejaswaji should go to the people’s court and offer an explanations about the various allegations of graft against him. A few days ago they had a 50 minute one on one conversation. The people of Bihar and the principal opposition party in the state, the BJP, wants to know what transpired. Did Tejaswi Yadav offer any defence against the charges? And if he did, does Nitish Kumar find himself convinced by these explanations? He needs to tell the people who elected him. This is not a matter of domestic concern for the chief minister, it has to do with allegations of corruptions at the highest levels of his government. We find it difficult to believe that considering the situation in Bihar, Mr Kumar would not have raised the issue with Mr Yadav,” he said.
After declaring that the BJP would be open to providing outside support to Nitish Kumar if he chooses to ditch the RJD, the numerically dominant partner in the alliance, Mr Rai demurred. “We haven’t had any conversation with Nitish Kumar on the question of support, our main concern is the sense of paralysis that has gripped the government is affecting governance. Nothing is moving and the government owes the voters an explanation about this state of paralysis following a political crisis,” he said.
