Bihar elections: After Manjhi's 'ghar wapsi', Sharad Yadav's return to JD(U) expected

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 3

With the 'ghar wapsi' of Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM(S) in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the Bihar assembly polls, the upcoming elections to the 243-member Assembly have taken yet another turn.

On one side the latest move by politically savvy Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has added another angle to the JD(U)'s ongoing power tussle with Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, on the other hand, it has also thrown open some interesting options.

It remains to be seen whether young Chirag will exercise those options to experiment with something radical or vie for a larger political role for his party to fizzle out a compromise and settlement within the NDA.

With Manjhi joining in, the tussle for seats among partners will naturally increase though according to BJP leaders Nitish Kumar is expected to adjust HAM(S) from his quota.

The BJP has already announced that Nitish Kumar will be the alliance's chief ministerial candidate. However, his move to bring in Majhi has prompted the LJP to call a meeting on the future course of action, including whether to put up candidates against Nitish Kumar,

So far Chirag Paswan has been playing safe, targeting Nitish Kumar and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. However, observers say the political space of Bihar is crying for fresh leadership and it is the correct opportunity for a young blood like Chirag to grab the opportunity to come into his own. It is now or never for Paswans, they say.

Chirag's father, LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan, is a minister in the Narendra Modi government. BJP sources say Chirag is unlikely to disturb the existing status quo.

The elections will be contested on the strengths of Nitish Kumar and PM Modi. The electoral performance of Manjhi, who comes from Scheduled Castes like Paswan, is nothing to write home about. As an NDA ally in 2015, his party barely managed about one seat.

The BJP contested 159 seats, the LJP 40 seats, the RLSP 23 seats and HAM 21 seats. He also drew a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an RJD-Congress ally.

Likewise, the influence, cadre and worker of the LJP, which believes that Nitish Kumar has brought Manjhi in the NDA to counter it, is also limited. The LJP has not been able to do well at the State level with Ram Vilas Paswan largely concentring on his politics at the Centre.

In 2015 when it fought with the NDA, it won only two. Its performance in Lok Sabha elections has been thanks to Prime Minister Modi, say BJP leaders

Chirag has been trying hard to make his presence felt in these elections. He has been touring the State, calling upon party cadres to prepare to fight all Assembly seats and due to his accessibility also believed to be popular among people, especially the youth. However, he is yet to prove his credentials as a leader on his own

The BJP, which has so far played down their differences, is watching closely. The saffron leadership knows that to win Bihar they need Nitish Kumar. Meanwhile, the stage is also set for the return of senior and experienced leader Sharad Yadav to the JD(U) fold, say sources.

Insisting that the NDA is intact and will fight the assembly, BJP leaders say a fair distribution of seats among allies will settle all issues. Besides, everyone knows that "posturing" is a part of the electoral game and at the end of the day the LJP will also come around, they add.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.