Why Lalu's fodder scam trial has put Nitish Kumar in a political dilemma

Will he back his partner in the grand alliance or will he risk tie-up with a hard-bargaining BJP?

Bihar is in the news, with a Supreme Court order calling upon Lalu Prasad Yadav to face trial in four cases related to the fodder scam. The fodder scam is a collective term for a set of 64 cases, of which 53 were filed in Ranchi. It all began in 1985 when then Comptroller and Accountant General (CAG), T N Chaturvedi sniffed a possible embezzlement of funds from the Bihar Treasury and various departments. Of the 64 cases filed, Yadav was named accused in six and has already been convicted in one involving fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 37.70 crore from Chaibasa treasury, which now falls in Jharkhand.

 
Jailbird Shahabuddin's tirade against Nitish

The controversy also exposes Lalu’s connections with criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, who is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail, serving a life sentence after being convicted in over 10 cases. He was shifted to Tihar in February this year, following a Supreme Court order. In some tapes that Republic TV aired recently, Shahabuddin is heard criticising Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his liquor ban. He further goes on to claim that he will circumvent the ban through bribes. Shahabuddin is cited saying in the tapes calling Nitish Kumar as "Chief Minister of circumstance.”

The next step for Nitish Kumar?

Sushil Modi of the BJP, Leader of the Opposition in the state's Legislative Council, when asked about a possible tie up with Nitish Kumar said, “"Why will the BJP invite Nitish Kumar? The BJP is so strong in Bihar, that if an election takes place in the state today, it will get more than two-thirds of seats on its own”.

Since Lalu’s RJD is the biggest party in the grand alliance government in Bihar, members of the ruling as well as opposition parties in the state are waiting with fingers crossed for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to react to the situation.

The question on everyone ones mind is will Nitish Kumar switch back to the BJP and break the grand alliance, given that Lalu’s political future is now in question following the Supreme Court’s Judgement?

What’s in it for the BJP?

Sushil Modi rebutted media reports yesterday by stating that he had proposed, “If Nitish Kumar agrees to dump everything to align with the BJP, then only the party can think over it."

There are 16 Rajya Sabha MPs from Bihar, of which nine are from the JD(U) while five are from BJP. The remaining two are from the RLD. A BJP-JD(U) alliance helps them in the Rajya Sabha where the BJP sets to form a majority.