News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar politics

  • Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP likely to merge with JDU on March 14

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Bihar’s Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) is likely to merge with Janata Dal-United on March 14 in Patna. State Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is also likely to be present on the occasion of the merger.

    A senior leader of the RLSP told ANI, “RLSP has convened a two-day meeting at Patna on March 13-14 to seek approval from party workers on the merger with the JD-U. The move comes after the debacle in the state Assembly elections 2020.”

    Under the leadership of Upendra Kushwaha, the party had failed to secure even a single seat in the 243 member Bihar Assembly.

    Speaking to ANI, Secretary-General of RLSP Madhav Anand, a close associate of Upendra Kushwaha said: “Wait till March 14 and you will know the decision of the party.”

    JD-U sources are also hopeful that the impending merger would have a wide-ranging impact on Bihar’s politics.

    “RLSP’s merger plan with JD-U is almost finalised and is expected to be announced on March 14 in Patna. We hope that this merger will strengthen the JD-U and will have a significant impact on the state’s politics,” a senior JD-U leader said.

    It is believed that the move comes as part of JD-U’s plans to consolidate its vote bank in the state. The JD-U has only 43 MLAs and is the junior partner in the NDA government. With 74 legislators, the Bharatiya Janata Party had emerged as the big brother in the 2020 Assembly polls.

    In the recent Bihar Assembly polls RLSP fought the elections as part of an alliance comprising, among others, Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) and Mayawatis’ Bahujan Samaj Party, declaring itself the Chief Ministerial candidate but could not win even a single seat.

    In November 2020, JD-U President Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth straight term.

    The NDA secured a 125-seat majority in the 243-seat strong Bihar Legislative Assembly, of which BJP won on 74 seats, JD-U on 43 while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents. 

  • In open letter to JDU, LJP admits having helped BJP in Bihar election

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The LJP for the first time after the Bihar assembly elections admitted having helped the BJP.

    The Lok Janshakti Party-headed by Chirag Paswan on Wednesday made the claim in an open letter written to JD(U) National secretary KC Tyagi. The LJP blamed Nitish Kumar for JD(U)’s poor show in the elections. Accusing Nitish Kumar of “obdurate” stand on seat-sharing with LJP, Raju Tiwari — Bihar parliamentary board president of LJP — alleged that JD(U) was defeated due to Nitish Kumar’s insistence on fighting in more seats.

    Tiwari further alleged that Nitish Kumar wanted to rule as the big brother and give only 15 seats to LJP. “There was no dispute between LJP and BJP and still there are none now,” Tiwari wrote in the letter.

     “The LJP has always been in ideological difference with JD(U). That was the reason, LJP had never been in alliance with JD (U) even in past. But due to BJP, LJP continued supporting them in the NDA but then JD(U) attempted to cause damage to LJP in the Lok Sabha elections”, Tiwari alleged.

    The LJP, through the letter, also accused Nitish Kumar of attempting to take undue advantage of illness of Ram Vilas Paswan. Tiwari’s letter has stirred up the hornet’s nest by claiming that they helped the BJP on 104 out of 110 seats in assembly election while they put up a friendly fight in the remaining six.

    The letter also claimed that Chirag Paswan never made any individual attack on Nitish Kumar during the assembly election campaign except criticising his policies of Kumar. Justifying the decision to write an open letter to KC Tyagi, Tiwari said that Tyagi has been baselessly holding LJP responsible for the defeat of JD(U).

  • RLSP-JD(U) merger on the cards? A day after AIMIM MLAs meet Nitish Kumar, Upendra Kushwaha follows suit

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Sunday’s meeting of RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has triggered speculations about the former rejoining the JD(U) fold in near future. Upendra Kushwaha had also held meetings with JD(U) senior leaders in recent past.

    On Sunday, former Union minister Kushwaha went to meet the CM at his residence with a possible cabinet expansion around the corner. Former state president of JD(U) Vashishtha Narayan Singh also attended the meeting between Nitish Kumar and Kushwaha.

    “It was the meeting between two brothers – Nitish Kumar and me. We are like brothers for a long time despite our differences in politics”, Kushwaha told the media after coming out from the CM’s residence.

    Upon being asked about the political murmurs regarding RLSP’s merger with JD(U), Kushwaha did not elaborate saying this is not true. Sources said that Kushwaha is being convinced to be with JD(U) by senior leader Vashishtha Narayan Singh, who is taken in high regard by Kushwaha.

    Singh told the media that the meeting was very cordial and encouraging but he also avoided speaking anything about the merger. But if a reliable NDA source is to be believed, RLSP will get some LMC seats from Governor quota if it either merges or comes in alliance with JD(U). “Upendra Kushwaha like BJP leader and former union minister Shahanwaz Hussain may also get elected to state legislative council through the quota of the Governor. Kushwaha may also get a berth in the cabinet in near future, if he joins JD(U). Talks are in progress under strict political confidentiality”, said a NDA source.

    The RLSP had contested with BSP and the AIMIM in the recent assembly polls. A few days ago, the lone MLA of BSP Jaman Khan from Chainpur in Kaimur joined the JD(U). A day before Kushwaha met CM Nitish Kumar, all the five MLAs of AIMIM had met Nitish Kumar.

    “After the AIMIM MLAs met CM, it was Kushwaha’s turn. So, something big is in the making. Wait for a few weeks now”, said political analyst RK Verma, adding that Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) has roped-in many sharp brains in party like RCP Singh and others to seize the opportunity.

     Meanwhile, the RLSP denied merger rumours via Twitter. “The news of the RLSP merger is baseless and wrong. Considering the aspirations of the people of both Bihar and the country, the RLSP will continue its struggle”, the tweet read. 

    But some seasoned political analysts of Patna strongly believe that the RLSP has now no other option left after the debacle in Bihar polls but to either merge with JD(U) or come in alliance with the NDA. “Kushwaha had worked in alliance with NDA in the past and his political temperament does not differ more from others in NDA. As of now, the RLSP’s prime target is to consolidate the position in state political that has virtually weaken after recent polls with not a single seat went to it”, said political analyst Pawan Kumar Yadav.

    Kumar had made Kushwaha the leader of the opposition in 2004, though he was a first-time MLA, ignoring many legislators who had suggested otherwise.

    With time, Kushwaha turned a rebel and parted ways with Kumar to form his own party.

    The RLSP later became a part of the BJP-led NDA before 2014 general election and Kushwaha was made a member of the Narendra Modi 1.0 government.

    But, the return of the JD(U) to the NDA fold in July 2017 changed equations once again, and the RLSP quit the coalition and became a part of the RJD-headed Grand Alliance.

    The Mahagathbandhan, however, suffered a severe drubbing in the 2019 parliamentary polls and Kushwaha lost the election from Karakat and Ujiyarpur Lok Sabha seats.

    Weeks before the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, he walked out of the Mahagathbandhan and floated a six-party front, with Uttar Pradesh leader Mayawati and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi as its prominent members.

    The front failed miserably, but AIMIM managed to bag five seats in the Muslim-dominated Seemachal region, emerging as a new force in Bihar politics.  

  • Jolt for Bihar Opposition as leaders join BJP

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Major constituents of the opposition Grand Alliance in Bihar – RJD, Congress and the RLSP — suffered a jolt on Wednesday as more than a dozen leaders from them joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.They were given primary membership of the party in the presence of Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupendra Yadav and others.

    This was part of the first ‘Milan programme’ organised by the BJP since the Assembly polls held late last year. “It is just the beginning. There is a long queue of leaders who are fed up with dynastic politics and are determined to join the BJP,” said Yadav claimed while welcoming the new entrants. Prominent among those who joined the BJP are two-time ex-RJD MP from Sitamarhi and three-time MLA from Pupari Sitaram Yadav, considered close to RJD chief Lalu Prasad.

    Sitaram Yadav was minister of information and public relations in 2000 under the Rabri Devi government, but was denied RJD ticket in the LS elections in 2019. In 1998 and 2004, he was elected to the LS on RJD ticket after remaining MLA in 1990 and 1995.

    “Yadav has strong influence in north Bihar and his induction in the BJP comes at a time when the party is trying to strengthen its base among Muslims and Yadavs, the two strong pillars of support of the RJD,” said Dr R K Verma, a political analyst.Bhupendra Yadav said the Opposition has not only lost the trust of the people, but the trust of their leaders and workers. 

    “This happens with the parties that thrive under family rule,” he said. “The Congress has not looked beyond a family. The RJD and Congress don’t recognise anyone other than sons and daughters of their parties’ families. The BJP, on the other hand, belongs to all.”

  • ‘JP to BJP’: A book that speaks about Bihar’s changing politics

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The recent Bihar assembly elections were more meaningful than ever for the all parties in the state, including the NDA and the opposition.  

    A book titled JP to BJP- Bihar after Lalu and Nitish by Patna based senior journalist Santosh Singh has brought in a bunch of ‘less known’ political facts to the readers.

    Singh, based in Patna, in a chapter of the book ‘The Churn-Bihar after Lalu and Nitish’ states that “The NDA had to also face the migration blues, and a not-so-great development index, beyond the basic ‘bijali, sadak and paani in the last three terms of Nitish Kumar as the Bihar CM”.

    The book, written with lucid facts, has proved to be an instant hit in the political as well as academic circles of the state. But what lures the readers to buy this book is its objective narration depicting political profiles and personalities of Bihar. The book also talks about the young political figures, namely Chirag Paswan, Kanhaiya Kumar and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

    Singh has stated that BJP has a compulsion to remain in political alliance with the JD-U but in the near future, BJP may dare to go alone with determination to have full political independence in Bihar.

    As mentioned in the book, “For the BJP, alliance with Nitish may well be political compulsion. Bihar BJP is not daring enough. But it (BJP) wants to dare and has been waiting just for the right time”.

    That means, BJP will never give second thought to take jump in the state independently.

    The book elucidates well that Bihar politics is at the far end of the era of Jayaprakash Narayan’s scions, with Nitish Kumar as the last holding the stand of politics from the socialist camp.

    “He (Nitish Kumar) looks good for a few more years, but the politics in the state in another ten years may have an altogether different templates and political proper nouns. Politics in Bihar is now entering an era that will make it bipolar. It is Saffron versus Socialists”, the book predicts.

    The book broadly claims “Bihar has crossed over the Nitish Kumar phase. Nitish might decorate the chair but he may not hold on to it for a long time”.

    It is a fact that no body honestly can deny that BJP has no leader parallel to Nitish Kumar to project as face to Chief Minister of the party in case it disassociates from the alliance. The BJP has majority of its leaders as well ministers, who feel privileged remaining ‘inaccessible’ to the both media and the common people.

    The same situation, directly or indirectly, goes with JD-U with a majority of its ministers including national president RCP Singh and CM Nitish Kumar, who remain ‘inaccessible’ to the media and the people in general with a few exceptions.

    But what JDU has an edge over the BJP is Nitish Kumar’s face-which carries a credit of ,indeed, transferring the Bihar from ‘backward’ to now somewhat ‘cleaned’ and ‘moving’ in development as a state  as the leader heading the state since 2005 with the political alliance wit BJP.

    Singh’s book reads “There can be three possibilities, BJP taking the centre–state with its aggressive brand of politics, Tejashwi cobbling a strong anti-BJP alliance, with the Congress and the left. Someone like Kanhaiya Kumar can become the fulcrum of a non-RJD and non-BJP alliance with the support of the Congress”.

    The book also says that caste politics has slowly started losing importance in Bihar. But it can not be easily agreed upon as having seen the recent caste equations mainlined by all parties in ticket distributions to ministerial formations by NDA.

    But, it has rightly been stated that, “Bihar is fast heading towards a BJP versus the rest of the political dispensation contest’. The book also says that Tejashwi, with his reserve of 20-22 per cent base, alone has a chance to give some resistance to the BJP, after Nitish Kumar is out of the race”.

    By going through the books, it goes without saying that the book by a journalist on Bihar politics will certainly prove handy in giving ‘intelligent insight’ on the state politics.

    Another senior journalist, Raj Kamal Jha, has said “To understand the India story today, any journey to and through Bihar is vital-it is both a pilgrimage and a reality check. This book is an invaluable compass for that journey”.

    Indeed, this is the book that speaks about ‘Bihar’s politics’ from past to future as an unputable down one.

  • Shahnawaz Hussain enters Bihar politics as BJP’s bet in minority-dominated Seemanchal

    Express News Service
    PATNA: BJP senior leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Monday filed his nomination for an MLC seat in Bihar. CM Nitish Kumar and other senior NDA leaders accompanied him while he filed his nomination papers.

    He later told the media that he would be discharging whatever responsibility would be given to him by the party.

    Reliable sources in BJP said that Shahnawaz Hussian would be the first Muslim face from BJP in the Bihar cabinet, in a clear message to the minority community that BJP does not have an aversion or overlook the community in the government. Speculation is also rife that Shahanwaz Hussian can get a place in the state cabinet expansion as minister of any prominent department.

    “He may be tasked to make the party base stronger in minority-dominated Seemanchal areas where the AIMIM has won the five seats in 2020 Assembly elections”, said a BJP source.

    Political circle abuzz with talks that the BJP’s decision to introduce Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, a two-time MP and a former Union minister, in Bihar’s politics will counter the old traditional Muslim-Yadav equation of RJD.

    Shahnawaz’s entry is being considered as a big bet of BJP as he carries a deep experience of active politics in centre for more than two decades, according to political analyst Dr RK Verma.

    The BJP seems to have played a major political game first by bringing a Muslim face, and giving a message that the BJP has never been against Muslims in politics. “This kind of move can also balance the move of CM Nitish Kumar and the growing influence of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi in Bihar”, Verma said.

    Shahnawaz Hussain had first reached Parliament from Kishanganj, a minority-dominated area of Seemanchal, and then from Bhagalpur which too has a considerable minority population.

  • Now, JD(U) predicts split in RJD after January 14

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The claim of BJP in-charge of Bihar Bhupendra Yadav on Sunday that there would be a major desertion of MLAs from the opposition RJD in the coming weeks has raised the political heat in the state. Interestingly, BJP’s ally JDU reiterated the claim on Monday.

    Supporting Bhupendra Yadav’s claim, Munger MP and JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the “break-up of RJD can’t be prevented”. “Whenever Bhupendra Yadav ji wants, the RJD will merge with the BJP. His prediction about a break-up in the RJD after Kharmas (January 14) can’t be taken lightly,” he said. Taking up any works before Kharmas is believed to be inauspicious by many.

    JDU national spokesperson and a close aide of Nitish Kumar, KC Tyagi, also aired the same view. Bhupendra Yadav on Sunday said the RJD would break-up after Kharmas. “We will be silent till Kharmas. After that, the RJD will break-up. If you can save the party, save it,” he challenged the RJP leadership. The RJD has reacted sharply to the claim. The party said it was the NDA that would break-up after January 14. “NDA is going to face desertions after the Kharmas,”said RJD Spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari.

    It was only two weeks ago the RJD leadership had claimed that the Nitish-led government would fall as reports surfaced about the friction in the NDA over JDU lawmakers switching allegiance to the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh. Also, RJD leader Shyam Rajak had claimed that 17 MLAs of the JD(U) were in touch with the RJD and that more would cross over very soon.

  • Young face Umesh Kushwaha is new Bihar JD(U) president

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Amid reports of the widening rift between BJP and JDU, Bihar chief minister in a surprise move decided to entrust the responsibility of state JDU with former MLA Umesh Kushwaha, a fresh face instead of giving the post to an experienced person. 

    Kushwaha was the JDU MLA from Mahnar assembly seat in 2015 who lost the election to an RJD candidate in 2020. 

    On day 2 of the JDU state executive meeting, outgoing party president Vashistha Narayan Singh stepped down from the post citing health grounds.

    Kushwaha is considered closest to the national president of JDU RCP Singh and is supposed to have a strong hold on the Kushwaha community.

    With the appointment of Kushwaha as state president, JDU again went back to his old-time equation of party christened as ‘Luv (Kurmi-CM belongs to this caste)-Kush (Kushwaha) equation after the poll debacle in 2020.

    Munger MP LS Rajiv Ranjan Singh told the media that appointment of Umesh Kushwaha was approved by Nitish Kumar in a move to encourage more and more youth leaders to the forefront of party. He said that Kushwaha’s name was proposed by Vashishth Narayan Singh.

    Rubbishing the speculation from the opposition side that JDU may exit from NDA, Singh categorically said, “Those, who fan a rumour that NDA may soon get disintegrated, must know that JDU is strongly in the NDA and their daydreaming will never come true.”

    Singh admitted candidly that the number of elected MLAs of the party in 2020 had reduced but the vote bank of the party has grown up.

    He said that the party has decided to work on CM Nitish Kumar’s 7-Resolves Part-II for development with justice.

    A senior party leader said that with the appointment of Umesh Kushwaha as Bihar JDU chief,  Nitish Kumar made it clear that he wants to move on his time-tested political equation called ‘Lav Kush’ after recent elevation of RCP Singh to the national president of JDU. In the 2020 assembly election, Umesh Kushwaha from JDU had a direct fight with RJD’s Bina Singh on Mahnar. However, he was defeated after LJP candidate Ravindra Singh jumped into the fray at the last minute.

    Kushwaha received around 53774 votes while RJD’s Bina Singh was polled 61721 and LJP’s Ravindra Kumar Singh was polled 31315 votes.

    Kushwaha, elated at his appointment, said that he will try his best to take the political ideologies of Nitish Kumar to the people working for development with justice for all. He said that JDU will work with BJP and all allies for the betterment of the state.

    Before the name of Kushwaha announced, the name of senior party leader Ram Sewak Singh was floating on priority in the race of the state president.

    Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition from RJD Tejashwi Yadav taunted that Nitish Kumar should have looked into the background of Kushwaha also before appointing him as party head in Bihar.

  • We are firmly with NDA: Senior JDU leader Lalan Singh dismisses rumours of ‘alliance exit’

    By PTI
    PATNA: Scotching rumours of JDU quitting NDA in Bihar amid talks of discomfort with the ally BJP, the ruling Janata Dal(United) on Sunday made it clear that the party is firmly with the ruling coalition in the state.

    JDU, one of the major constituents of Bihar NDA, is running a coalition government in the state with the help of BJP, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). “Speculations are doing the rounds in media circles with regard to our leader and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Some sends him somewhere while others are sending him somewhere else. “But, we would like to make it clear that our party (JD-U) is firmly aligned with the NDA,” senior party leader and MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said.

    Singh was talking to reporters at the partys state headquarters on decisions taken at the two-day meeting of its state executive and state council. He was accompanied by partys newly elected state president Umesh Kushwaha and working president and minister Ashok Choudhary.

    Singh’s statement assumes significance in the backdrop of opposition leaders speaking of political instability in the state in view of alleged lack of compatibility between the two major NDA partners- BJP and JDU.

    Eversince en masse migration of the JDU MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh to the BJP, speculations are rife of “differences” cropping up between the two allies even in Bihar on several issues.

    Seeking to fish in troubled waters, the opposition RJD and the Congress have been talking of mass defection of the JDU MLAs and some of their leaders also suggesting Nitish Kumar to leave the saffron party once again like in 2015 and join them.

    Kumar had himself, while speaking at the state council meeting Saturday, asserted that his government would complete its five year term, in an indirect rebuff to opposition leaders who have been speaking of political instability.

    The JDU de facto leader, who relinquished the post of the partys national president earlier this month, had also urged his party workers to look at the future banishing memories of the recent assembly elections in which the party suffered humiliating losses.

    Talking about partys other decisions and proposals that were passed at the state council meeting, Singh, who is JDU leader in Lok Sabha, said the party also discussed about strengthening its organisation. “It was general opinion of the party members that though the partys strength has dwindled but not its mass base (janadhar). We are not discouraged by it (the poll outcome)…we will rather work hard to further strengthen our partys organisation and move ahead,” Singh said.

    Though JDU’s top leader Nitish Kumar is on the chief ministerial chair in Bihar, the party’s strength went down to 43 in the recently concluded state polls as compared to 71 in 2015. On the other hand BJP bagged 74 seats in the October- November elections and catapulted the NDA to power in the state.

    The party also lauded the state governments role in combating novel coronavirus in the state which efficiently and effectively took measures to curb its spread, he said while stating that the state governments efforts have been appreciated by the central government which is evident from the fact that President conferred award on the state government.

    It may be noted that President Ram Nath Kovind had on December 30, 2020 conferred ‘Digital India Award 2020’ for transferring financial assistance directly into the beneficiaries bank accounts during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

    A resolution was passed at the meeting affirming that the party will unitedly work to implement the state governments ‘Saat Nischay- Part II’ (seven resolves-part 2) programme in order to make Bihar a strengthened, prosperous and self reliant state, the JDU leader said.

    Stating that the state government has started working on to provide 20 lakh jobs to youths of the state, Singh said that soon after the formation of Nitish Kumar government in the state, it gave its nod to create 20 lakh jobs in the very first meeting of the cabinet.

    “The state government is working on it,” he said while asserting that 20 lakh jobs will be created in times to come and 20 lakh youths will get jobs. Employment was a major poll promises of main political parties in Bihar polls. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s 10 lakh government jobs promise enthused youths during the polls.

    To counter this the BJP had promised creation of 1.9 million job opportunities in the state.

  • We will boycott Assembly session if it is truncated: Bihar opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar’s leader of Opposition from RJD Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday threatened to lay siege around CM Nitish Kumar and deputy CMs Tar Kishor Prasad and Renu Devi’s residences if the budget session of the state assembly is truncated and does not work to its full lenght.

    Talking to the media on Sunday, Tejashwi Yadav said that the Mahagatvandhan (Grand Alliance) will form a human chain across Bihar on January 30 in protest of the newly introduced farm bills and in solidarity with the farmers protesting against it. The leaders and supporters of RJD, Congress and other allies of Mahagatvandhan will form the human chain showing a collective solidarity to the farmers,

    Tejashwi Yadav said that the speaker has requested that the upcoming budget session of the assembly be reduced due to possible vaccination drive for COVID-19 in March. “I have requested the speaker to hold a meeting with all the parties. Why is the government running away from questions”, he said, adding that how will the peoples’ representatives ask questions if the session does not work to its full length.

    “Now they are trying to tell us that just 243 members of the House cannot assemble because of the pandemic. They are talking about vaccination. Can they give a tentative date of its commencement? Do they have even a faint idea as to how many vials of the shot will be made available to Bihar?” Yadav asked mockingly.

    Underscoring that legislative business had suffered in the state over the past one year because of the pandemic, Yadav said if the upcoming session was shortened “we will boycott it and gherao the residences of the Chief Minister and the deputy CMs”.

    Accusing CM Nitish Kumar of ruining the state, he said that Nitish Kumar has virtually become a bargainer instead of  a leader remaining a leader. “You can see how he treated George Fernandes, Digvijay Singh and RJD in the past. He had managed to come into power through backdoor and now is trying to remain in power”, Tejashwi alleged.

    He said that 50 farmers, who were opposed to the agricultural bills, have lost their lives as martyrs. “But neither the central government nor the Nitish government has anything to help farmers.  Farmers of Bihar are forced to sell paddy at cheap prices.  Paddy is not being procured at MSP.  The government is making the farmers poor”, he said.

    (With PTI inputs)