A day before Triple Talaq Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a call to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Officially, it was communicated that the PM took stock of the flood situation in Bihar and assured Nitish of all possible assistance.
But Nitish, apart from being the Chief Minister, is also the national president of the JD(U), a key ally of BJP, and has 16 MPs in Lok Sabha and six in the Rajya Sabha (excluding Harivansh, the Deputy Chairperson of the Upper House).
It is believed that Modi sought Nitish's help in the passage of Triple Talaq Bill. This was one of the three contentious issues where the JD(U) differed with the BJP (Article 370/35A and Ayodhya being the other two issues). In fact, Nitish had flagged his concerns about Triple Talaq three years back when he wrote to the Law Commission on this issue. The JD(U) has always maintained that the Bill should have been discussed with all the political parties and a discussion should have taken place with all the stakeholders.
Wooing minorities
Nitish has opposed Triple Talaq Bill precisely because he wants to woo the 17-per cent Muslim electorate in Bihar which could play a decisive role in the 2020 Assembly elections in the State. These Muslim voters, who till now have stood by the RJD like a rock, may desert Lalu’s outfit if they find a credible secular leader. Nitish’s dilemma is he wants Muslim appeasement without giving any talaq (divorce) to the BJP.
“Nitish wants butter on both sides of the bread. He is eyeing the Muslim electorate too. At the same time, he is not willing to sever ties with the BJP. So, he has done what an astute politician would have done. He asked his MPs in the Rajya Sabha to walk out in protest against the Triple Talaq Bill, thereby giving a message to the minorities that he was with him. But at the same time, he has helped Modi Government to pass the bill in the Upper House after its strength was reduced following walkout by the JD(U) MPs. This way, he has put all speculations of ‘rift with the BJP’ to an end,” Bihar Congress working president Kaukab Quadri told Deccan Herald.
“We are not against the BJP. But we have certain differences with them. We took an ideological posture on Triple Talaq and protested in a dignified manner,” said JD(U) principal general secretary KC Tyagi.