25-Jan-2024 11:52 PM
2076
Patna, Jan 25 (Reporter) Amid sulking political atmosphere following separate meetings of the legislators of JDU and RJD, convened urgently by their party high commands in Patna and Bihar BJP leaders rushing to Delhi at the instructions of their top brass, the speculations that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may again align with the BJP leaving Grand Alliance were rife in the corridors of power.
With the posts indirectly targetting Nitish Kumar uploaded on social media by Rohini Acharya, daughter of of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the ongoing internal rift between the RJD and JDU, both being prominent constituent units of the grand alliance government came to the fore on Thursday. The posts, though were deleted later on but it created a ripple in the political circle after which a senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari, under damage control exercise tried to pacify Kumar amid feedbacks of his possible "U" turn to join NDA.
Meanwhile Nitish Kumar held a key meeting with his party leaders in Patna tonight to discuss the situation. A senior party leader and Kumar's close confidant Shrawan Kumar said that Nitish Kumar was not taking anyone's site but was only following the ideologies of the great socialist leader Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur. He said that Nitish Kumar always respected the sentiments of the people.
Amid surcharged political atmosphere, the RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav also held a meeting of his party senior legislators including Deputy Chief Minister Tejasvi Yadav and Environment minister Tej Pratap Yadav. The meeting held at Rabri Devi's residence continued till late evening on Thursday as everything did not appeared to be well in the grand alliance.
Acvording to RJD sources, Lalu Yadav asked his legislators to remain alert. However MLC Munni Devi and RJD chief spokesperson Shakti Singh Yadav, after the meeting termed it as to be a routine one and claimed that the grand alliance government was intact and was functioning smoothly.
Yadav alleged that scared of the popularity of grand alliance government the BJP was trying to spread rumours.
In another development Union Minister Ashwini Choubey, Bihar BJP chief Samrat Chaudhary and JD(U) General Secretary KC Tyagi left for Delhi on Thursday by the same flight, fueling the speculation about another twist in Bihar politics.
After reaching Delhi Tyagi, however said that "I.N.D.I.A gathbandhan (alliance) salamat hai... Everything is fine in the alliance." Replying to a query about Rohini Acharya's tweet, Tyagi refused to make any comment saying that , "Baccho ke comments par hum comment nahi karte ( I do not comment of children's remarks). "
As it is Nitish Kumar, pioneer of the opposition's unity had surprisingly been sidelined in the I.N.D.I.A. alliance was not not given any position in the alliance commensurate with his stature. Political sources said that apparently annoyed with it, Kumar proposed for an early assembly polls along with with the Lok Sabha elections but his suggestion could not draw a positive response from the RJD.
Meanwhile JDU sources inducated that Kumar has cancelled his scheduled visit to Jharkhand on February 3 and may share stage with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be holding a rally in North Bihar on February 4.
According to a JDU insider, Kumar may also not join the Yatra of Rahul Gandhi in Purnea on January 30 for which the Congress had already invited him.
The political developments taking place one after another on Thursday gave ample hints that Bihar may witness another political twist ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May this year...////...