led by former Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, a ginger group has emerged in the party opposing Bihar Chief Minister Kumar’s decision to dump the grand alliance and switch over to the BJP. Sharad triggered speculation about his political moves by calling on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. JD(U) Rajya Sabha member Ali Anwar, who was closeted with Sharad Yadav, along with another party MP Veerendra Kumar, openly came out against Nitish’s decision to side with the BJP. There were reports that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was expected to meet Sharad Yadav, but till late in the evening the meeting did not take place. Sources close to Sharad ruled out the possibility of him joining the Union Cabinet.
Sharad Yadav is expected to consult his supporter within the JD(U) and decide on his future course of action. He is reported to be in regular touch with lalu Prasad over the last one month during the crisis. If the patch-up efforts within the party do not fructify, he could drift closer to the RJD.
Sharad Yadav was reportedly taken aback by Nitish’s decision to break the Bihar alliance. Sources close to him said that he was not aware that Nitish was going to take this extreme step. Three days ago Nitish had met Sharad for one hour in the national Capital, but reportedly gave no clue that he was planning to dump the grand alliance.
Apparently batting on behalf of Sharad Yadav, Ali Anwar expressed his dissent with Nitish’s dramatic decision.
“Nitish Kumar listened to his soul and made the decision to join the BJP. If given a chance, I would propose my point of view to the party. I think the reasons why we separated from the BJP are very much evident in the present situation,” Anwar said.
“While Nitish Kumar has been clear with his stand against corruption since the beginning but he also had another stand -- to fight against communalism. If we see any agreement with that on his part, then we have to take a decision,” Anwar said.
Barely hours after Nitish was sworn in as Bihar CM in Patna, Sharad Yadav met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi. His meeting with Rahul is significant as it came after the Congress leader slammed Nitish’s decision to align with the BJP. “He (Nitish) had joined hands with us in the anti-communal fight, but Nitish Kumar, for his personal politics, joined hands with those against whom he had fought. This is the problem in India’s politics. In politics you come to know of what is going on in the minds of people. Clearly, I knew Nitish ji is planning. We knew this was going on for the last three-four months,” Rahul said talking to the media.
“People do anything for their selfish motives. There is no principle, no credibility. They can do anything for power,” Rahul added when asked about the developments in Bihar.
The Congress recalled how Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a public rally in Muzaffarpur, had questioned the political DNA of Nitish Kumar. The party alleged that the Modi Government has made all mean efforts to topple stable Governments in many States during the last three years.
Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said a story of rank opportunism and treachery with peoples’ mandate was written in Bihar by BJP and Nitish Kumar.
“Truth is that hunger for power has over-powered on the mask of big talks and the self-professed honesty stands exposed with the sole principle being, power at any cost and power at all costs,” Surjewala said.
While other parties too reacted to fast political development in Bihar by terming Nitish’s move opportunistic, the CPI said that Nitish could have waited for the court verdict on Tejashwi before taking the decision, and the AAP accused him of adopting “double standards”.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said Nitish’s move reflects his “double standards” and also asked, “Didn’t Nitish realise the credentials of lalu Prasad when he took his support after he walked out of the NDA, and then again at the time of Bihar polls. Now he suddenly finds lalu Prasad corrupt.”