Spreading JD (U) outside Bihar becomes dream for Nitish

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s ambitious plan to spread the Janata Dal (United)’s base outside Bihar seems to have come to a cropper. At least, this is what it seems going by the Assembly results of the States in the Hindi heartland where all the JD (U) nominees forfeited their security deposit.

Nitish, who is the national president of the JD (U), fielded 12 candidates in Rajasthan. Forget about winning a seat, the JD (U) fetched maximum votes 5009 at Banswara constituency while in others, it polled merely 912 (in Ghatore), 417 (Bheem), 281 (Parbatsar), 199 (Jhotwara) and 161 (Malviya Nagar).

Equally pathetic was its performance in Chhattisgarh where the JD (U) nominee Bindesh Ram secured 2008 votes in the Keshkal constituency, while the party candidate from Raipur Town South constituency JP Tiwary secured a meagre 80 votes.

Such poor performance comes close on the heels of Karnataka Assembly elections, where the JD (U) contested on 27 seats and forfeited deposit everywhere.

Even in Gujarat elections last year, the party could not open its account although 38 JD (U) nominees were in the fray. Rather, Nitish’s bete noire Sharad Yadav’s faction won two of the four seats Assembly contested in Gujarat.

Earlier, in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh too, the JD (U) tried to a get a foot-hold, but it drew a blank in those States thereby putting a question mark on the leadership of Nitish, who took over as JD (U) president from Sharad Yadav.

“We are Bihar-based party. It will take another five years to mark our presence nationally,” said JD (U) vice-president Prashant Kishor.

Polls apart

2016: JD (U) contested in Kerala and Assam. Lost all.

2017: Contested 38 seats in Gujarat. Could not win even one seat.

2018: Contested at 27 Assembly constituencies in Karnataka. Lost everywhere.

2018: Contested 12 seats each in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Forfeited security deposit everywhere.