In recent weeks, it has been apparent that the proposed alliance between Lalu and Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, is not in good nick. After a lengthy and hostile battle that spanned years, the two leaders were delivered to peace largely by the BJP. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign led to huge gains for his party in Bihar in last year’s national election, Lalu and Nitish found a way to work together. In August 2014, they combined with the Congress to take on the BJP in by-elections for 10 seats and won six.
Then, in April this year, they teamed with four other parties to announce the Janta Parivaar, intended as a mega-merger of socialists. Working out what shape that union would take has proved to be so exhausting that it’s all but abandoned. Now, calibrating even an alliance for the Bihar election seems perversely tough.
Lalu said last night, “I have saved the Nitish government twice in the last year… we all need to be clear about this,” he said.
His pointed reminder of the favours extended to Mr Kumar spoke volumes of the sort of bargaining that lies ahead.
Lalu himself is ineligible to run for office because of an earlier conviction in a corruption case.
The BJP, meanwhile, continues talks with Jitan Ram Manjhi, whom Mr Kumar installed as his replacement during a nine-month time-out. When Mr Kumar indicated he was ready to return to office, Mr Manjhi refused to vacate, resulting in his expulsion from their party.
Mr Manjhi’s stint as Chief Minister, and his removal, have added new weight to his stature as a leader of the Mahadalits, among the poorest castes in Bihar. The BJP largely draws support from the upper castes so a partnership with Mr Manjhi could lend it a competitive edge.
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