It's clear Nitish Kumar won't defend Lalu Yadav - even if it breaks this Bihar government
The worst-kept secret is out: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) will do nothing to defend its senior alliance partner and the beleaguered Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, Lalu Prasad.
Lalu is in a spot following a relentless attack from BJP leader Sushil Modi for allegedly acquiring properties worth several crores from RJD colleagues as a quid pro quo for giving them ministerial berths.
Senior JD(U) leader and Rajya Sabha member RCP Singh — a close confidant of Nitish Kumar — made it clear on Sunday that the party was under no compulsion to defend anyone. “It’s for the person facing allegation to defend him,” Singh said.
The chief minister’s stand clearly defies conventional political logic where politicians do everything to cling to the chair. But Nitish is not among them.
The JD(U)’s refusal to defend Lalu Prasad over Sushil Modi’s allegations is seen as a bold move, given the fact that Nitish’s government depends on the RJD’s 80 MLAs for survival. But why has Nitish risked his government to take a stand which seems politically imprudent? It wouldn’t have harmed the Nitish government had the JD(U) decided to back Lalu against Sushil Modi’s attack.
But observers believe that RCP Singh’s clarification on the issue, which couldn’t have been issued without Nitish’s consent, is in sync with the latter’s principled stand for probity in public life.
Though the Bihar chief minister has the option of joining hands with the BJP, which seems to be trying everything to wean him away from the RJD, Nitish’s refusal to back Lalu against Modi’s allegations is less political and more about his personal position.
“It is a bit like Nitish’s support of demonetisation. Though it sparked off speculations about Nitish inching closer to the BJP, the Bihar CM saw the decision as anti-corrupt and one to be backed by the poor. He was also quick to understand that the Centre’s step would have electoral implications. Nitish was proved right by the Uttar Pradesh election results. Now, having already asked the Centre to act quickly on benami property across India, how can Nitish defend Lalu, as it may convey a wrong message among his followers,” a senior JD(U) leader said.
All through his career, Nitish has always been strikingly different from other regional chieftains like Lalu Prasad of the RJD, Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, HD Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular), and Abhay Chautala of the Indian National Lok Dal. Unlike them, Nitish has never promoted dynasty in politics, keeping his brothers and only son away from politics.
Nitish also doesn’t face any corruption allegations, and is also the only one among the socialists to have concern for good governance.
“Nitish Kumar is the only one who quit the CM’s post after his party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. People leave Lok Sabha seats to become ministers in the state, but Nitish sacrificed and quit as the CM after the Lok Sabha result, which had no bearing on the state government. And he did not pick anyone from his family to succeed him,” said a senior JD(U) leader, referring to the 2014 general election result after which Nitish had quit the chief ministerial position and instead installed Jitan Ram Manjhi as CM.
With standing political compulsions, Nitish, known for probity and a positive agenda for governance, will not like to be seen defending someone tainted by his past. Lalu, despite his huge following in Bihar, is seen as someone who unabashedly promotes family members in politics, and faces large-scale corruption allegations, in addition to his conviction in fodder scam case.
You can’t help but feel for Nitish Kumar, someone who generates a truckload of goodwill because of his good governance but lacks an efficient political organisation or able lieutenants to win political goals alone. Unless that happens, and it can, Nitish will have to depend on alliance partners, who come with baggage,” said a senior IAS officer.
Will his government survive or will Lalu's displeasure cost him dear? Though Nitish has spent 17 years with the BJP, his approach on key issues has always been more left of the centre.
No wonder, though Nitish may have risked his government’s longevity by not defending Lalu, he looks unconcerned.