JD-U in catch-22 over Lallan

JD-U in catch-22 over Lallan

Caught in a classic catch-22 situation, the JD(U) is searching for answers to deal with party heavyweight and Lok Sabha MP Rajiv Ranjan (Lallan) Singh, who is working behind the doors to provide much needed oxygen to the Congress in Bihar. Further testing nerves of the JD(U), Mr Singh has dared the party to take action against him

and has even made his intent clear to appear on the dais when Congress president Sonia Gandhi visits Bihar. Though acknowledging the fact that Mr Singh has become a loose canon and is spearheading attacks on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) leadership does not want to expel him on two counts, as it will allow him to continue as a Lok Sabha member and secondly the party does not want to gift the Congress a formidable upper caste leader.
Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Singh revealed that he asked JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav “when would he be expelled” to which he got an answer in negative. “We will not expel you,” Mr Yadav reportedly told Mr Singh. “I am going to share the dais with Mrs Gandhi when she visits Bihar. What will you do then,” Mr Singh reportedly asked Mr Yadav to which he was told that the party would take a call on the matter at that time only.
Representing the Munghyr Lok Sabha seat from Bihar, Mr Singh hails from the land-owning Bhumihar caste, which is up in arms against Mr Nitish Kumar, for having attempted to implement a scheme, which indirectly gives rights to share-croppers (bataidaars) on the land they till. He was also a close confidante of Mr Kumar till he quit the party posts.
Sounding bullish on prospects of the Congress in Bihar, Mr Singh said that the upper caste has conviction that if Mr Kumar returns to power he would implement the “Bataidaairi scheme”. “Nitish has lost the crowd. He has divided castes in the state. People are looking for an alternative and the Congress stands a chance to emerge as the single largest party in the state,” Mr Singh told this newspaper.
Further substantiating his claims, Mr Singh stated that the Congress could weave around an equation of upper castes, Muslims and dalits, which would be an effective foil to vote base of either the JD (U)-BJP combine or RJD-LJP alliance.

Author: Manish Anand

Source: The Asian Age

Lallan Singh to join hands with Congress

NEW DELHI: In a development which gives Congress hopes of revival in Bihar, one more local political heavyweight is pitching his tent in its camp. The man who led the open revolt against Nitish Kumar from within, former JD(U) state president and Lok Sabha member Rajiv Ranjan, alias, Lallan Singh, has decided to join hands with Congress in the upcoming Bihar assembly polls. Mr Singh, a prominent Bhumihaar leader and a one-time Nitish Kumar confidant, had quit the top JD(U) post after accusing the CM of being dictatorial. Mr Singh told ET that he would “go all out with Congress and share the campaign platform” in its fight against the JD(U)-BJP regime”. Asked about his continuance as a JD(U) MP, Mr Singh said: “People of Munghyr have elected me to the Lok Sabha. I have decided to openly join hands with Congress in the assembly elections as per the people’s aspirations for a new beginning in Bihar. Why should I quit the Lok Sabha? I have my plans. Let JD(U) leadership do whatever it wants.” AICC sources said Mr Singh has been in touch with Congress leaders and modalities of their relations were being worked out. MR Singh confirmed his talks with Congress leadership. Congress sources hinted at more leaders coming along with Mr Singh but he just said “just wait and see.” Justifying his move, Mr Singh said: “After Bihar’s 20 years’ disastrous experiments with regional parties, it is time a national party provides a positive direction for the state. Congress is that natural alternative in Bihar. And for me the only political option now is to join hands with Congress as people like me will never join BJP, RJD or LJP. It is time to reestablish Congress firmly in Bihar.” In a reference to the unrest in a section of Bihar’s pro-JD(U)-BJP upper caste support base since Nitish Kumar started nurturing Extreme Backward Castes, non-Paswan ‘Maha Dalit’ block and Backward Muslims and displayed the tenancy plank (batedari Bill), Mr Singh said: “Regional parties and its leaders, be it Nitish Kumar or Lalu Prasad, thrive by creating social tension. Lalu created the backward-forward divide. Now Nitish Kumar, apart from running an inefficient and corrupt government, has created the same social tension in the name of `Batedari’ and other things”. Bihar has to break off caste-politics and needs a national party like Congress with its inclusive agenda. In any case, all discredited and rejected RJD leaders are now part of JD(U) and are advising Nitish Kumar just the way they had guided Lalu in the past.” The state Congress is trying to rebound like it did in UP by wooing back Muslims, who are no longer a captive vote-bank for Lalu Prasad, and unhappy ‘upper caste’ population along with other floating social segments. Congress is planning a state-wide campaign from mid-August. Former JD(U) minister Jamshed Asraf, NCP and JD(S) state presidents Aquil Haider and Shram Kumar Chowdhury and some others joined Congress last week.

Author: C L Manoj, ET Bureau

Source: The Economics Times