It was expected that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would share the dais at the Gandhi Maidan function of the Prakash Utsav on Thursday and also exchange pleasantries. But nobody, not even Nitish, had expected that the PM would heap praise on his bitter rival and publicly applaud him.
The RJD is irked by the fact that Nitish hogged the limelight and lalu was ignored.
Only three days back a journalist was heard telling Bihar CM that his sitting next to the PM and speaking to him might create speculations about their possible political bonding. “The media and in some political circles there may be some churning and speculations that both are inching closer,” Nitish was heard saying with a broad smile. But neither Nitish nor leaders of any party had expected that the PM would publicly congratulate the CM for his total prohibition campaign.
At least not the Bihar BJP leaders, who are strongly resisting the prohibition move and calling the new legislation “draconian”, had expected this. Modi with his praise for Nitish silenced the Bihar leaders of his party who were sitting at a distance on the ground during the function.
RJD supremo lalu Prasad, who is supposed to be feeling uncomfortable after Modi-Nitish bonhomie, however tried to put a brave front by saying that the PM spoke what was a truth. “Nitish did good work for the preparations of the Prakash Utsav and has implemented prohibition so PM had no option but to praise him,” he said and added, “Nitish is head of the Government so the PM named him for praising.”
But the seating arrangement at the dais on Thursday’s function definitely irked the RJD and Congress leaders who were unhappy that neither lalu nor his son and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav were given space on the dais and were asked to sit with others.
The objection was publicly raised by RJD vice-president Raghubansh Prasad Singh who claimed that this was disliked by the people of Bihar and also the guests who were surprised that lalu was not seated on the dais.
“All the leaders of the Maha Gathbandhan should have been on the dais but Nitish is taking sole credit of everything,” he added bitterly. Congress president and Education Minister Ashok Chaudhary, who too could not get space, was also unhappy and said that PMO should have given place to lalu and other leaders of ‘Maha Gathbandhan’ on the dais.
At least one BJP leader and Union Minister of State Giriraj Singh who too sat on the ground, said in provocative tone, “The RJD men should ask the CM why he insulted their leader. Nitish made Prakash Utsav a one man show.” The motor mouthed leader said now lalu was realizing his mistake. But, he added, lalu had been breaking all the parties while in power and now Nitish was showing him the place.