RJD-JD(U) rift over Lalu Prasad's son threatens Nitish govt

New Delhi: Fissures in Bihar’s ruling alliance led by the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) widened on Monday after its alliance partner, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), rejected a demand for its leader and deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav to resign.

A meeting of JD(U) legislators, convened for Tuesday, will give clues on the fate of the alliance. If the JD(U) digs its heels in and the RJD sticks to its stand, it could potentially threaten the survival of the alliance and consequently the government.

In addition, the differences have all but nixed the prospects of opposition parties putting up a joint candidate in the upcoming polls for the vice-president. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is yet to announce its candidate.

The RJD sent a clear message on Monday, when senior party leaders unanimously ruled out the resignation of Tejaswi Yadav. In the backdrop of the recent raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), RJD chief Lalu Prasad along with his family members, including son Yadav have come under increasing political scrutiny. Consequently, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is under pressure from opposition parties to initiate strict action.

Following Monday’s meeting of RJD legislators, senior party leader and state finance minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui told reporters that leaders “praised” Yadav’s legislative work and that the issue of resignation did not even figure in the conversations.

Two party legislators, Ramanuj Prasad and Mundrika Prasad, confirmed to PTI that there was “no question” of Yadav’s resignation. Kumar and Lalu Prasad had a telephonic conversation on Sunday evening to discuss the ongoing developments.

All eyes will now be on the opposition meeting on Tuesday on the vice-presidential elections. Kumar is likely to skip the meeting as he has called a meeting of all the party members of legislative assembly (MLAs) in Patna.

Although senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is likely to be present in the meeting, Kumar’s absence, especially in the backdrop of his decision to not back the opposition’s candidate in the presidential polls, will be keenly felt.

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“Opposition parties will meet on 11 July and decide what to do and how to do...there are attempts to stop the efforts of the opposition to form a grand alliance but it will not be fruitful,” Sharad Yadav told reporters in New Delhi.

Expectations are that Kumar will also skip a public meeting in Patna called by Lalu Prasad on 27 August against the BJP. However, the meeting is expected to be attended by some senior opposition leaders.

“Eventually it will all depend on what call Lalu Prasad takes over Tejaswi’s resignation. If the corruption investigations continue, continuing of the state alliance will come under threat. There are some leaders in the alliance who feel that Prasad is not in a position to break ties over this issue,” a senior Congress leader from Bihar said requesting anonymity.

For the moment the spotlight is on Tuesday’s meeting. “The agenda of the meeting of MLAs of JD(U) is not to discuss the corruption allegations against Lalu Prasad and his family members. But we cannot stop MLAs from raising the issue. It is possible that some of the JD(U) MLAs may demand that the corruption allegations be discussed,” said a senior JD(U) leader, requesting anonymity.