JOIN USThe managing director of Garuda group of companies, who entered the fray as an Independent, has not only forced an election on June 17 but also spoilt Lalu’s ‘party’.
The RJD workers, who were confident that with only five candidates (JD-U - 2, BJP-1, RJD -1 and LJP-1) in the fray, sailing will be smooth for all the nominees, as 40 first preference votes are required to romp home.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) comprising JD (U) and the BJP are well placed with 136 MLAs out of 243 members in its kitty. With numbers in their favour, all the three candidates — Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP), RCP Singh and Upendra Kushwaha both JD(U) — are confident to sail through.
What has queered the pitch is the ‘alien trouble’ from Bangalore, who now forces a contest, which may finally spoil the chances of Lalu’s confidant Ram Kripal Yadav. The RJD has 56 MLAs and the LJP 12 legislators. But Lalu has fielded Ram Vilas Paswan as the first nominee, and his trusted lieutenant Ram Kripal as the second candidate. If an election takes place on June 17, Paswan will scrape through with the 40 votes, but Ram Kripal will still be short of 12 votes.
It is against this backdrop that Lalu and Paswan had hoped that all the five candidates were elected unopposed. But on Tuesday, when, after the scrutiny, the nomination papers of all the six candidates, were found to be in order, an election now seems imminent. The RJD and the LJP camp have, therefore, deferred their plan to distribute sweets.
Meanwhile, one of the proposers of Uday, Dadan Pehalwan, an Independent MLA and a history-sheeter, exuded confidence of Karnataka tycoon’s victory. “Chances are bright for horse-trading as party whip will hardly have any meaning since Assembly elections are just four months away,” he said, claiming support of 60-odd MLAs for the Bangalore businessman.