After BJP's Rajasthan Loss, Smaller Sharks Come Circling in Bihar

Patna: The BJP’s rout in Rajasthan bypolls seems to have emboldened its NDA allies in Bihar to seek a bigger share of seats for the next Assembly elections — two years before they are due.

Smaller parties like Union minister Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) had been wary of their place in the alliance ever since the JD(U) made a comeback to the NDA fold.

Now, with the BJP seemingly losing its grip in other stronghold states, Manjhi has demanded 50 seats for his party in the 2020 Bihar elections. The Bihar Assembly has 243 seats.

“Our party wants to contest on at least 50 seats. Only then will we be able to do justice to our supporters. I am in favour of installing two deputy chief ministers — a Dalit and a Muslim,” Manjhi told News18.

Manjhi had been the only leader to win from his party in the 2015 Assembly elections. But his defence of jailed RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav and the latter’s invitation to him to join the Mahagathbandhan has prompted the NDA camp to woo the Dalit leader. Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar had even gifted his own bullet-proof vehicle to Manjhi recently.

The other NDA constituent vying for a bigger share of the electoral pie is Upendra Kushwaha. The Union minister’s issues with the ruling JD(U) came to the fore when he recently organised a human chain campaign against the state government’s education policy. The event led to a heated war of words between his RLSP and the JD(U). The argument snowballed to a point where RLSP leader Nagmani threatened to part ways.

Kushwaha had also been critical of Nitish Kumar, but seemed to have warmed up to the CM after the JD(U)’s return to the NDA, despite his party not getting any state ministerial berths.

But now Kushwaha has upped the ante and his party leaders claim that no government can be formed in Bihar without its support. They have also pitched Kushwaha as a CM probable.

The RLSP has three MPs in its ranks — Ram Kumar Sharma from Sitamarhi, Arun Kumar Sinha from Jehanabad and Kushwaha himself from Karakat. He, however, failed in converting his Koiri vote in favour of the NDA in 2015. The vote bank had then sided with Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)-RJD-Congress combine.

With Nitish Kumar back in the NDA, the RLSP might not get the seat share it expected. Asked if he would remain in the NDA will the Lok Sabha elections next year, Kushwaha said, “It’s a long journey and it would not be wise to say anything right now.”

The NDA currently holds 31 of Bihar’s 40 Lok Sabha seats. This count excludes the JD(U), which fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections alone. But in 2019, the BJP would have to accommodate its foe-turned friend too, which means it will have to risk disappointing Kushwaha and Manjhi.

RJD’s aggressive push to wean away local satraps like Anand Mohan and Pappu Yadav and a possible tie-up with Sharad Yadav-led faction of the JD(U) have given smaller NDA partners a possible platform to voice their demands.

RLSP insiders said Kushwaha will part ways with the NDA as the Lok Sabha election nears. But sources said he wants the BJP to oust him so he leaves with the sympathy factor. But the BJP-JD(U) combine seems in no mood to do that.

“Our leadership, along with that of the BJP, is aware of his moves. He (Kushwaha) knows that he will get only one seat to contest. He has no option but to leave. But he also wants to hold onto his ministerial berth. So his exit may be around two-three months before the election,” a close aide of Nitish Kumar said.