PATNA: Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (U) are inching towards a formal alliance in Bihar and party sources said that informal talks on seat sharing were currently under way between the two sides. Both Nitish and Lalu had already made it known that they had decided to join hands against the BJP in Bihar.
Earlier, taking a tough stand against dissenting party leaders, Nitish had said that the alliance was a definite possibility and those opposing the move were expressing their personal opinion. He even warned party leaders that if they wanted to remain in the party then they should abide by the official decision. He also appealed to the like-minded political parties to join hands in the fight against the saffron party.
Interestingly, Lalu had on Monday raised the Mandal issue yet again and dropped hints regarding a realignment of the various parties engaged in the fight for social justice and communal harmony.
Talking to reporters after appearing before the CBI special court in Ranchi he said the Mandal Express was on the move. “Those willing to board are welcome while those not interested will miss it,” he said.
He claimed that Nitish was ‘ours’ as had been brought up on a diet of secularism although he subsequently joined hands with the BJP and allowed it to grow.
Meanwhile, reacting to the latest political developments in the state, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that both ‘Bade Bhai’ (Lalu)and ‘Chote Bhai’ (Nitish)of Bihar politics have been forced by the circumstances to fall back on their old slogan.