Taking the wind out of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s prime ministerial ambitions, Rashtriya lok Dal chief Ajit Singh has now started negotiating with the BJP for an alliance ahead of the 2017 Assembly polls. Earlier, Singh had been parleying with the JD (U) in this connection which fell through.
The RlD had contested the 2002 Assembly polls allying with the BJP and later allied with the same saffron party for the 2004 lok Sabha elections. But after the BJP lost in 2004, Ajit Singh promptly hopped across to the on-saddle Congress-led UPA.
After the thumping victory of the grand alliance in Bihar in November, 2015, Singh had evinced keen interest in join the alliance bandwagon and even merge his party with Janata Dal (United). Expectation were rife that the anti-BJP grand alliance of Bihar would be repeated in UP with Ajit Singh being an important face of the secular alliance. But that was not to be and the wily Singh again did for what he is best at — political somersault.
Preferrig anonymity, a senior RlD leader said, “We are negotiating from a position of strength. If the BJP concedes our demands then we can again join hands after a decade. Is Bar Ham yachak nahi hum dulha hainRsRs(We are no longer the seekers, we are the groom this time).
The RlD leader confirmed that Ajit Singh has held a series of talks with BJP brass and has asked for at least 45 seats to contest while the BJP is unwilling to concede more than 25 to 30 seats. Singh is also demanding restoration of the bungalow on Tuglaq Road in Delhi, where he lived for almost four decades before being evicted.
The leader said that a consensus has been reached at on almost all issues barring the number of seats to be given to the RlD but that too would be worked out soon..
“The process of RlD and JD(U) coming together was a good beginning and had tremendous potential in UP. Senior JD (U) leaders and Ajit Singh had several round of talks and Singh and Nitish Kumar met in Delhi too. Now it’s for Singh to decide whether he wants ally with the secular alliance or go with the BJP,’’ said state JD (U) chief Suresh Niranjan.
Meanhwile, JD (U) chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is set to launch the poll campaign of the ‘Mahagathbandan’ from Varanasi - the PM’s constituency on May 12.