Bihar polls: Lalu, Sharad reach out to Mulayam

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 4

Efforts to persuade Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to reconsider his party’s decision to walk out of the grand alliance, comprising JD-U, RJD and Congress, for the Assembly elections in Bihar failed to make breakthrough today. Yadav is the anointed head of the Janata Parivar of which RJD and JD-U are its constituents.

The SP decided to sever its ties with the alliance and contest the elections alone saying it was humiliated by the JD-U and RJD over the sharing of seats.

Accompanied by former Union Minister Prem Chand Gupta, RJD president Lalu Prasad and JD-U president Sharad Yadav held a meeting with Mulayam Singh at his residence here, but the latter refused to budge.

Emerging from the meeting, Sharad Yadav said: “Talks with Mulayam Singh are on. Efforts to strengthen the alliance in Bihar will continue. There is no issue with regard distribution of seats.”

“All issues regarding the alliance will be sorted out within three days,” he added.

Lalu said: “We tried to impress upon Mulayam Singh to reconsider his decision in the interest of Janata Parivar.”

“Seat-sharing was not an issue. There are some other things. They are personal, considering us. Mulayam is not only a head of the Janata Parivar, but also my relative. All seats in the JD-U and RJD share are his,” he added.

He, however, evaded a direct reply with regard time-frame in which the rumblings within the Parivar would be solved.

Although the JD-U and RJD leaders put up a brave front, sources say Mulayam was annoyed at the role of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who has been made Parivar’s chief ministerial candidate for the elections.

Sources in his party said he was not happy at Kumar’s growing proximity to the Congress. This would allow Congress’s revival in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and also in national politics.

Mulayam felt Kumar was simultaneously harnessing Parivar’s popularity for the Bihar elections and maintaining a relationship with the Congress for his national aspirations. He was annoyed at not being taken into confidence while deciding on allocating 40 seats to the Congress for the Bihar elections. Mulayam’s party was given only five seats.