At JD(U) MLC poll review, the twin challenges: BJP friction, internal power tussle

The Janata Dal (United)’s poor showing at the Legislative Council polls appears to be driving a wedge between it and National Democratic Alliance ally Bharatiya Janata Party, with the party appearing to pass the blame for its loss to its ally days after losing three of the four council seats at the MLC polls.

The Janata Dal (United) is preparing to hold a meeting on Thursday to review its loss. The meeting is expected to be attended by JD (U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, JD (U) state president Umesh Kushwaha, Health Minister Nishant Kumar, deputy CMs Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary.

This comes at a particularly contentious time for the allies – just days after two newly elected independent MLCs, Bansidhar Brajwasi (Tirhut Graduates) and Rahul Raj (Saran Teachers) — both of whom defeated JD(U) nominees — joined the BJP, leading to calls for their disqualification.

While JD (U) candidate from the Tirhut Graduates seat Abhishek Jha lost to Brajwasi, the party’s Saran Teachers seat candidate, Pushkar Anand, lost to BJP rebel Rahul Raj. Meanwhile, JD (U) candidate from the Darbhanga Teachers seat, Ghanshyam Rai, lost to Jan Suraaj Party’s S P Rai.

For the JD (U), whose only saving grace was the victory of its chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar from the Patna Graduates seat, the loss, coupled with the developments that followed, has caused a major upset.

“The way the BJP showed urgency in taking Independents Bansidhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj into its fold clearly showed that it never supported us,” a senior JD (U) leader said. “Everyone knew Rahul Raj was the unofficial BJP candidate against our candidate Pushkar Anand. It is only under pressure from us that the BJP has now backtracked from calling the two Independents its members.”

The leader blamed the BJP for the NDA’s loss of two MLC seats.

Story continues below this ad

“Had the BJP contested as a true ally, we [the NDA] could have won at least five of eight seats. It was the non-cooperation of the BJP that also saw the Jan Suraaj Party open its account in the Council,” said the leader, adding that the party needs to firmly voice its displeasure at the BJP.

The JD (U) review meeting might also exhibit a nuanced power tussle between the top two JD (U) leaders after party chief Nitish Kumar: Sanjay Jha and Union Minister and senior party leader Rajiv Ranjan ‘Lalan’ Singh.

It also comes amid another development — after winning the Patna Graduates seat in the MLC elections, Neeraj Kumar openly criticised Union Minister and senior party leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, who is said to have tacitly supported expelled JD(U) leader Anant Kumar Singh for the Patna Graduates seat.

Lalan Singh is expected to skip the review meeting.

“With Neeraj Kumar retaining the seat, Lalan Singh might feel uncomfortable. In any case, it’s a state-level meet, giving him reason enough to skip it. Neeraj Kumar’s presence in the meeting could be further embarrassing for him. Though Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh might not speak against each other openly, a cold war is surely brewing between them,” the leader said.

Story continues below this ad

But another leader believes that despite these differences, the party remains firm on one thing – the future party leadership of Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar, the son of JD(U) chief and former chief minister Nitish Kumar. Kumar is likely to attend the meeting.

“Both Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh are clear that the party’s politics will gravitate around Nishant Kumar,” the leader said.