Unease in Bihar's ruling alliance ahead of assembly polls

The internal squabbling within the NDA in Bihar seems to be getting murkier with each passing day. The former chief minister and one of the tallest Mahadalit leader, Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday came out whole-heartedly in support of Nitish Kumar and slammed the other alliance partner LJP chief Chirag Paswan for opening a front against the JD (U) strongman.

“Let me make this very clear. I will not tolerate any attack on Nitish Kumar, who has an unparalleled track record of establishing the rule of law in a lawless State. Besides, the kind of upliftment he has done for Dalits and Mahadalits in the last 15 years remains unmatched,” said Manjhi. The former CM told the LJP chief not to revolt against Nitish, or else he (Chirag) will have to face the consequences.

“Ram Vilas Paswan claims to be champion of Dalits. But what has he done for the Dalits in the last several decades?,” said Manjhi in his uncharacteristic attack on the father of the LJP chief.

Vertical Split

Ever since Manjhi has joined the NDA, the NDA alliance has split vertically with the LJP making it clear that it was in alliance with the BJP, not the JD (U).

Manjhi, on the other hand, has also joined the chorus and made it clear that his pocket organisation HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) was in alliance with only the JD (U).

Sources within the NDA told Deccan Herald that amid such rift ahead of Assembly polls, efforts will be made by the BJP to placate the LJP. The JD (U), on the other hand, will carry out a similar exercise and ask Manjhi to exercise restraint.

During the 2015 Assembly elections, the JD (U), RJD and the Congress had formed Mahagatbandhan with the three parties contesting on 101, 101 and 41 seats respectively (out of 243 Assembly constituencies).

However, in 2020, with the JD (U) part of the NDA, it’s a straight contest between the BJP-led alliance and the RJD-led Mahagatbandhan.