Amid the buzz that’s going on over a change of guard in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad and his son Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on January 19 called on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his official residence. All three held a closed-door meeting for nearly an hour. After the meeting, Tejashwi Yadav stressed that there was no rift among alliance partners and also denied reports of Mr. Kumar going back to the NDA fold.
The buzz started after Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during an interview to a vernacular daily on January 16., said the party will think over if any proposal comes from those who left NDA. His statement was seen as an offer to Bihar Chief Minister and national president of Janata Dal-(United).
However, it was Mr. Shah who once announced while addressing a rally in West Champaran in February 2023 that BJP’s door had forever closed for Mr. Kumar while calling him Aya Ram Gaya Ram (Turncoat).
Asked about change of guard in Bihar, Mr. Yadav said, “You (media) people are free to assume anything, why should I react on your assumptions. He is the Chief Minister, I am the Deputy Chief Minister, we keep meeting each other. Why do you people have any problem with it? I feel pity, the kind of question you all ask us. There is no truth in any change of guard and I do not need to give clarification every time.”
He further asserted that in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, BJP would be wiped out and Mahagathbandhan will emerge winner winning all the seats.
“From day one when Lalu ji and Nitish ji have come under one room, the BJP is in great pain and you people are also becoming the partner of the saffron party,“ Mr. Yadav said.
He hit back at reporters when asked about the possible date of completing seat-sharing talks in the INDIA bloc.
“I want to ask the media people, has seat sharing completed in BJP? On how many seats BJP is contesting election in Bihar? Has seat sharing completed in NDA? Why does the media not have the equal amount of inquisitiveness on seat sharing in NDA, why only INDIA alliance?” Mr. Yadav asked.
He also dismissed the rift within the alliance in Bihar stressing that Mahagathbandhan is united and all partners of the alliance will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha poll under the leadership of Mr. Kumar.
The buzz also caught momentum when a party insider said that JD(U) MLAs and Ministers have been instructed to remain in the State capital for next 72 hours.
However, when asked about any such instruction, JD-(U) MLA and Cabinet Minister Madan Sahani categorically rejected the claim.
“No such instruction has been given by the party high command,” Mr. Sahani told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a parallel meeting of its legislature party in which preparation for the Lok Sabha election was discussed. When asked about welcoming Mr. Kumar again, BJP state president Samrat Choudhary said if he (Mr. Yadav) wants to take the membership of BJP, he is most welcome.
On the other hand, patron of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) (HAM-S) and former Chief Minister Jitan Manjhi posted on his official X asking his MLAs to remain in Patna till 25th January.
“Despite being in Delhi, I am keeping a close eye on the current political situation in Bihar. Keeping the political development in mind, I have instructed all my MLAs to remain in Patna till 25thJanuary. Whatever happens will be in the interest of the State. Jai Bihar,” Mr. Manjhi’s post- read.
