Lalu joins hands with Nitish to counter BJP

Announces support to JD (U) in RS by-polls

Signalling a major political realignment in Bihar, Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to back the Janata Dal (United) in the Rajya Sabha (RS) bypolls.

This comes as a huge relief for the JD (U) leadership, especially for former chief minister Nitish Kumar, as the party is engulfed in a rebellion by its legislators.

“We will support JD(U) nominees to defend our secular values and defeat communal forces,” Prasad announced on Wednesday evening. He added his party legislators took this decision keeping in mind the interest of the state. On Saturday, Kumar had called the RJD leadership seeking support in the RS by-polls scheduled on Thursday.  

The JD(U) has fielded two candidates — Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi and diplomat-turned-politician Pawan Kumar Varma — for the two seats. Meanwhile, more than two dozen rebel members of legislative assembly (MLAs) have nominated Sabir Ali and real estate baron Anil Sharma as their candidates against the official ones. The 21 RJD MLAs hold crucial votes in the bypolls, which can enable the JD(U) to sail through. “We are now against a common enemy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to thrust an early election in Bihar. Therefore, we all have to work together to stop BJP’s game plans,” Kumar had said.

In a House of 232, the ruling party needs 51 per cent votes of MLAs for victory of its candidates. JD (U) has 116 MLAs, 84 for BJP, 21 for RJD, four for Congress, one for Communist Party of India and five Independents.

RJD had earlier supported the JD(U) government led by Jitan Ram Manjhi on the confidence motion in state Assembly. However, after the vote, Prasad had told that this was a one-off case and it would continue to oppose the JD(U) government. Later, two of three rebel RJD MLAs were made ministers in the Manjhi government, which apparently angered Prasad.  

According to RJD sources, most of the legislators were opposed to supporting their bête noire, JD(U). However, after much persuasion by JD(U) leadership and many personal phone calls from Kumar, himself, the RJD chief relented and told the party leaders to extend support.

The Bhartiya Janata Party is also expected to announce its stand soon. However, the sources, within the saffron party, indicate that it would now analyze the situation and numbers, before taking any final decision.

The rebel JD (U) legislators are also said to be in contact with BJP leadership.