The political scenario is suddenly taking a turn in Bihar with the two major partners of the ruling coalition heading for a bitter verbal duel since the day the RJD’s strongman and four time Siwan MP Mohammad Shahabuddin is released from jail after 11 years. His very first comment that Nitish Kumar was the CM of circumstances and other related comments from him and senior most RJD leader Raghubansh Prasad Singh created a such a storm in the Maha gathbandhan that the Opposition parties started visualising that the alliance Government was now heading for a clash and on verge of the closure of the chapter of their nine month old bonhomie.
Shahabuddin’s stinging remarks were so painful that even CM Nitish Kumar had to react and then senior leaders of JD(U) jumped into wordy duel to warn the RJD leaders. Post Nitish’s assertion that his mandate was to serve the people and not to take notice or react to utterances by somebody, his two senior Ministers Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Rajiv Ranjan Singh lalan on Monday issued a strongly worded advisory to RJD supremo lalu Prasad to keep his men in control and ensure that everybody in the alliance should adhere to the principles of coalition.
Energy Minister Yadav and water resources development Minister lalan, both former State presidents of JD(U) at a joint presser lashed out at RJD national vice president Raghubansh Prasad Singh, a former Union Minister, and appealed to lalu to restrain him from issuing “highly objectionable” and below standard statements in order to maintain Raj Dharma and save the Government from uncalled for embarrassment.
“His tone is more venomous than that of BJP leaders. If he has any problem he should better speak in party forum. His statements are sending very wrong message and no coalition will allow such liberty to anyone,” said Yadav. “We have alliance under some mutual agreement and nobody should be allowed to cross the lakshman Rekha,” added lalan,
However, the two leaders did not say anything with clarity on repeated queries if the Government would challenge the Patna High Court’s order granting bail to Shahabuddin. “The law will take its own course of action,” was their reply. lalan added that challenging the order in the highest court was a legal procedure and might take some time.
On slapping Crime Control Act against the released RJD leader, lalan quoted a high court ruling and said on the pretext of some old case, CC Act could not be invoked.
Both the Ministers refused to mention name of Shahabuddin even once and said their party did not take notice of his utterances so no question of commenting over it. On being asked about Shahabuddin, Yadav quipped, “Who is heIJ Are you talking about the man who is released on bail after 11 yearsIJ Hundreds of people go and come out of jail. We are not supposed to react on their comments.”
Asked about the fissures in the grand alliance, lalu’s son and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav reacted, “Our alliance is as strong as Himalaya and no force can shake it.”
Shahabuddin, who is staying at his ancestral home at Pratappur village in Siwan, also toned down his offensive and said that the coalition Government would complete its full term. He also tried to explain what he meant by calling Nitish a CM of circumstances. “My statement was wrongly interpreted. What I meant to say that before Assembly polls there had been a situation wherein we came together to stop the BJP,” he said.