Mulayam tries to end Nitish-Lalu acrimony, mystery over CM pick

Members of the Janata Parivar seem to have ironed out their differences, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) having decided to contest the Bihar polls as partners. In a major announcement ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, Samajwadi Party’s (SP) national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the ruling JD(U) in the state will fight the elections together. However, there was silence on the issue of the Chief Ministerial candidate.

The announcement was made shortly after a Janata Parivar meeting concluded at SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s residence on Sunday evening. Speaking to the press, Ram Gopal Yadav said: “(We) will fight the elections in Bihar as an alliance.” He added: “Three members each from the RJD and the JD(U) will be part of a six-member committee, who will prepare a report on seat distribution.”

Yadav further said: “It has been decided that <g data-gr-id="33">election</g> will be contested on the basis of <g data-gr-id="34">merger</g>.” 

Asked about the contentious issue of the Chief Ministerial candidate, the SP general secretary said: “There is no dispute. These things will be taken care of later.” Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi later in the day. The meeting lasted for over an hour, amid talks of a broader “secular alliance” to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meeting, which took place ahead of talks between the leaders of RJD and JD(U), is being seen as an attempt to show that Kumar is the Congress’ preferred choice for Chief Minister.

Amid a face-off between RJD and JD(U) leaders over the Chief Ministerial candidate, the Congress had made it clear that while it is keen on the proposed grand alliance that includes both Prasad and Kumar, it will side with the latter in case the two fail to come together. JD(U) president Sharad Yadav was also present in the Parivar meeting, first between Prasad and Kumar in many weeks. 

The confabulations apparently failed to resolve the differences between the two leaders on the issue of Chief Minister. While the JD(U) is insisting that Kumar be declared the Chief Ministerial candidate, Prasad maintains that the issue can be addressed later. The RJD supremo had his way as the matter has been kept pending. 

The meeting came after Sharad Yadav’s assertion on Thursday that RJD, JD(U) and Congress would contest the elections together. The Assembly elections in Bihar, where the BJP is set to contest against a united Janata Parivar, are likely to be held in September-October, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi had said.