As Lalu stumbles, Nitish ready to ride out the storms
PATNA: The Supreme Court’s latest ruling in the fodder scam cases threatens to tear asunder RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s political future and the stability of his party, but it is unlikely to harm Bihar’s alliance government led by JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar.
RJD, the largest constituent in Bihar’s three-party alliance government, faces the stark prospect of becoming rudderless if Lalu is jailed. The apex court’s revival of criminal charges against him in the four fodder scam cases he faces raises that prospect, say legal experts.
Lalu, convicted in one fodder scam case in September 2013 and currently on bail, does not have much time. The Supreme Court has asked the trial courts to complete proceedings in the four pending cases in the next nine months. In three of these, arguments have been concluded. A conviction could well mean a dead end for the 68-year-old’s political future and his grand plans to forge a broad alliance of non-BJP parties to prevent another saffron surge in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. RJD’s like-minded parties would then be averse to be seen allying with Yadav, and no leader in his own party would be able to provide it a leadership with the same skills and authority as he has done for close to two decades.
The Nitish Kumar-led alliance government, however, seems to have decided to ride out the storms and complete its full term, which ends in 2020. In the wake of the recent exposé of Lalu’s taped conversation with jailed don-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin, the three ruling parties—JD(U), RJD and Congress—displayed unprecedented unity even as the Opposition BJP cried “jungle raj” and sought action against Lalu.
A weakened Lalu and an RJD in a deepening crisis will benefit Nitish. RJD leaders, always boastful of having the largest number of MLAs in the state Assembly, have often asserted themselves disproportionately in governance matters. Lalu’s interference in a number of decision-making issues has created a situation of smouldering resentment and one-upmanship games in the alliance. JD(U) now expects a respite.
JD(U) has refused to defend Lalu’s sons, deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav and health minister Tej Pratap Yadav, who are embroiled in charges of amassing huge wealth by illegal means.
“Judicial decisions against Lalu will not affect the alliance government. He is not a part of the state government,” said JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Neeraj Kumar. “The Opposition BJP’s latest efforts to create schisms will fail.”