Patna: Arch-rivals Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar may have agreed for merger of their parties to take on their common enemy the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming state polls in Bihar, but they face a really tough challenge on the ground — how to bring together their respective vote banks, Yadavs and Kurmis, the two most powerful backward castes who have been inimical to each other in the last over two decades to have their share in power.
Yadavs form the core vote base of Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) whereas Kurmis have been loyal to the ruling Janata Dal (United) of Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar. Kumar is again likely to be the chief ministerial face of the new party to be formed after the merger of six parties with socialist background, with the RJD chief standing disqualified from contesting elections for his conviction in the million dollar fodder scam.
In a move which could jeopardise their plan to crush the saffron party in the polls, Prasad’s caste men have hinted against supporting Kumar in the upcoming elections, blaming the latter for badly “torturing” Yadavs during his tenure. The issue surfaced after the Yadav Swabhiman Manch (YSM), a forum of Yadavs issued a fervent appeal to society people, asking them to first go through five major actions of the Nitish Kumar government against Yadav before deciding to support him. In a one-page pamphlet widely distributed in society, the Nitish Kumar regime has been accused of inflicting injuries on their pride.
The pamphlets say Kumar government gave five “gifts” to the Yadavs during its 10-year-old regime — shunting of top officials from this caste, Yadavs given little share in large-scale political appointments, Lalu (Prasad) Yadav was presented as a ‘villain’ and finally the RJD was denied a share in the government after getting its support in government formation. “Will Yadav caste still vote for Nitish to make him the CM?” inquired YSM in its pamphlets.
Yadavs further blame Kumar for “conspiring” against their leader in the fodder scam and putting a full-stop to the latter’s active political career. At presently, the RJD chief stands disqualified from contesting elections after his conviction in the fodder scam.
Yadavs refuse to forget how Prasad has been making the rounds of the court for a good part of his political career defending himself in the fodder scam, but to no avail. Even his wife Rabri Devi was not spared and dragged to court in the disproportionate assets (DA) case. And, finally when the court acquitted her in the case, Kumar challenged the verdict in the higher court and had it reopened.
“Yadavs led the fight for social justice, but they faced maximum torture during the Nitish Kumar regime. They were painted as “villains” by Nitish, yet he [Lalu] is “surrendering” before the former. Can these things be forgotten?” asked RJD parliamentarian Pappu Yadav.
What looks more serious, is that more than 15 top Yadav leaders have dumped RJD in the past few months, apparently unimpressed by the idea of merger. Observers say such desertions had not taken place even during the worst phase of the party, possibly between 2005 and 2010 when RJD lost its political clout both at the Centre and in Bihar, its home turf. The party’s vote-share had looked intact even during last year’s Lok Sabha polls, but suddenly there seems to be a sort of desperation among the Yadav leaders to dump the party.
The RJD is currently caught in a bitter succession war within the party and the family, and hence it is to be seen how they respond to the RJD chief’s call to back Kumar in the polls.
Similar is the case with Kumar’s fellow caste men Kurmis who do not see eye to eye with their bitter rival, the Yadavs. It was Kurmis led by Kumar who had initially challenged Lalu Prasad’s rule, holding a massive Kurmi rally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan in 1994 and formally declaring a war against him. Subsequently, Kumar even caused a split in the Lalu Prasad’s ruling party [then Janata Dal] and formed the Samata party with the help of 14 Members of Parliament.
“It’s not easy to end the two decade-old rivalry between the two powerful intermediary castes so soon. How can it be? They have been rivals from over two decades and voted against each other till last Lok Sabha polls, but suddenly they are being asked to become friends,” remarked a political expert wishing not to be named.
According to him, Yadavs are known to be more militant and are unlikely to “forgive” Kumar. “They (Yadavs) punished Ram Vilas Paswan in the last state polls by voting against his candidates, ignoring appeals from the RJD chief who was fighting the election together after a gap of five years. Their lone grudge was that Paswan had not lent support to the RJD when the March 2005 elections threw up a hung House, leading to the end of 15 year-old RJD rule. Their equation is even bitter with Nitish, and if forced to support further, chances are that they may switch over their loyalty to the BJP in protest,” he added.
