If the stepping down of Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar from the position of the National President of the JD (U) on Sunday at the end of the party’s two-day national executive meeting in Patna came as a big surprise for political observers, it was barely so that the party was vocal in criticising the BJP for ‘hijacking’ 6 of its MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh. The meeting assumed greater significance overnight only because of the development in Arunachal that took place a day earlier and expectedly, the brewing anger was palpable. While the meeting was supposed to have in its agenda various issues pertaining to the party, the Arunachal setback took centre-stage and BJP’s ‘act’ has been viewed as “treachery and back stabbing” and “most unwarranted” in the theatre of coalition politics. Leaders of the JD (U) minced no words to convey what really is in the making- the Arunachal episode is just a warm-up exercise by the supposedly strongest and biggest political party in the world, the BJP, to give a strong message that although the Chief Minister of Bihar is from its ally, it is and none else the more powerful there. BJP’s ‘explanation’ of the development, coming from Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Renu Devi which goes like this: “They followed their wish. What could we have done if they wanted to join our party?” is nothing novel and actually a cliché now due to its repetition over multiple times during the last six years. But this is a harsh truth and the idea of tolerance which for so long remained the cornerstone of coalition politics in the history of the NDA and reached appreciable heights during the Vajpayee days seems to be over, only to be replaced by the practice of dominance.

Whether the Arunachal episode is a rehearsal of the drama in the offing to be staged in Bihar is a matter of conjecture. But political analysts and observers mustn’t be blamed if they find a strong link between the two developments. It has been the fact that BJP’s Arunachal ‘operation’ coincided with the party’s two deputy chief ministers in Bihar, Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi meeting its top leadership in Delhi on Thursday. But amid the overwhelming helplessness of the central leadership of the JD (U), the only silver lining is its superb performance in the IMC polls. It’s strange but true that if Arunachal has brought worries to the JD (U) due to the defection of its 6 MLAs, inspiration also has its genesis here and it will be interesting to watch how this fight back can act as a dose for rejuvenation. Only time will tell if the JDU Corporators stay firm or follow their predecessors.

Whatever unfolds in near future in Bihar, in the broader canvas of coalition politics, it’s telling aggression that has eclipsed the principle of togetherness.

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List