All’s not well in Bihar NDA as alliance uncertainty looms-OxBig News Network

As the new year unfolds, internal conflict within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar has come to the fore with senior RJD leaders offering Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to return to Grand Alliance and Kumar avoiding meeting senior BJP leaders during his recent visit to Delhi.

Recently, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the door of the Grand Alliance was open to Kumar.

“Our doors are open for Nitish Kumar. We will forgive his past mistakes as well. Each time, we take the right decision, but he is not able to take the right decision. He runs away and leaves the alliance.”

Bihar will go for the polls later this year. While Kumar has not responded to the speculations doing the rounds, he gave a cryptic response to the media when asked to react to Lalu’s statement. With folded hands Kumar said, “Leave it.”

However, recent developments gave rise to speculation that all is not well in Bihar’s NDA. While Kumar paid respects to the family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he avoided meeting senior BJP leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi last week.

Adding to speculation, the BJP’s Delhi unit refused to allocate seats to JD(U) for the upcoming Assembly elections. In 2020, JD(U) got two seats to contest in Delhi- Sangam Vihar and Burari.

The alliance lost the seats to AAP. Sources within the JD(U) said the party had asked for the Burari seat. “We had requested a ticket for the Burari Assembly seat and did not press for the number of seats. One round of meeting was held in December. We did not get clarity on seats. However, we agreed to remain in alliance no matter how many seats we will get. The final decision will be taken by BJP’s leadership in Delhi,” a senior JD(U) leader said.

Speaking with the media, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said that the BJP did not gain from the alliance in 2020.

“Our workers wish to be given priority, as they have worked in the area for all these years. We have conveyed this to the party leadership,” he said.