NEW DELHI: Maharashtra 'done'. The air is thick in political circles in Delhi with the talk of a possibility that it could now be the turn of some other Opposition-ruled states.
Soon after Ajit Pawar joined hands with BJP-Shiv Sena, Bihar BJP’s senior leader and national spokesperson of the party’s OBC Mocha Nikhil Anand dropped some hints of what could lay ahead with some family and individual-centric parties such as the RJD, JD-U and the Samajwadi Party in Bihar and UP.
“Whatever happened with NCP in Maharashtra should be a lesson for family-based parties as well as ‘privately owned political shops.’ Parties like Samajwadi Party, Lalu-led RJD, JD(U) can see their future in the developments taking place vis-a-vis the NCP,” said Anand and tweeted as much.
On the face of it, the RJD remains unfazed. Party spokesperson Mrutyunjay Tiwari said that “no one should do daydreaming” of causing a split in RJD.
“The BJP’s Operation Lotus cannot succeed against the RJD”, he remarked. JD-U national president Lalan Singh said: “The BJP tried many times but failed in Bihar for splitting any party.”
Speaking to this newspaper, political analyst PKD Nambiar said: “The Maharashtra-like development cannot be ruled out in the context of Bihar and Telangana. In Bihar, the RJD is a family-driven party in power with one man-led JD-U. A large chunk of disgruntled legislators of both RJD and JD-U may consider departing from these parties as they don’t see any future for themselves.”
He also suspected Maharashtra's effect on the BRS despite its having a majority in Telangana.
“The family-driven parties like the RJD, BRS and others should be cautious before the 2024 LS elections as disgruntled party leaders can create a Maharashtra-like situation,” he said.
He, like many others, also feared a similar situation in Jharkhand ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. “In Uttar Pradesh, a larger chunk of SP leaders is willing to be with the ruling party”, he said. BJP sources said a large number of legislators in JD-U are not happy with JD-U being in power with the RJD.
Soon after the Maharashtra development, Delhi education minister Atishi was the first who alleged that the BJP was trying to play political games in Delhi and Punjab also. Chirag Paswan, chief of the LJP (Ram Vilas faction) said on Sunday that CM Nitish Kumar was afraid of a split in his party.
“Many JD-U leaders are in touch with other parties, and I am also in touch with them. Those who work to break other’s party, they too suffer the pain of breaking their own party,” remarked Chirag. The saffron exuberance will be put to test in the Assembly elections due in a few states months from now. The Maharashtra fallout at the national level too will be visible in the 2024 elections.
Clouds of doubt hover