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Rift among leaders hits NDA chances

By K. Balchand

PATNA, APRIL 29 . The differences within the National Democratic Alliance has assumed serious proportions threatening to jeopardise the prospects of its candidates in the 12 constituencies going to the polls in the third and final phase of the elections in Bihar on May 5.

The NDA suffers from both inner party squabbles and intra-party conflicts involving both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (United). The worst part is that the leaders are washing dirty linen in public and openly working against each other.

The Railway Minister, Nitish Kumar's disagreement with his party chief and Defence Minister, George Fernandes, who is also the NDA convener, may not be limited to differences of opinion over the dismissal of the Rabri Devi Government and imposition of President's rule in the State in case the NDA managed to come back to power at the Centre.

Mr. Kumar did not campaign yesterday and stayed back at home here even today, refusing to meet anyone on the ground that he had taken ill. Even if Mr. Kumar's indisposition were to be true, the fact remains that the convener of the State unit of the NDA had failed to campaign for two good days.

But political observers believe that there was more to it than meets the eye. Mr. Kumar had been critical of Mr. Fernandes' statement saying that it had helped the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav, in evoking the sympathy factor. From the very beginning, Mr. Kumar had maintained that they would not speak out against Mr. Yadav and that was the NDA's strategy for the campaigning in the State. But Mr. Fernandes had repeatedly stressed on Central rule at almost each and every rally that he had addressed across the State.

On his part, Mr. Fernandes maintained that there were no differences with Mr. Kumar and that it would not snowball into a crisis. As a matter of fact at his two meetings at Madhepura campaigning for the Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Sharad Yadav, who is pitted against the RJD chief, Mr. Fernandes once again reiterated his contention, disregarding Mr. Kumar's opinion.

By being critical, Mr. Kumar indirectly had pointed an accusing finger at Mr. Fernandes holding him responsible for the NDA's bad performance, as indicated by the exit polls, in Bihar.

The fact that Mr. Kumar has not been able to campaign for two days is only to the disadvantage of the NDA. Surprisingly none of the JD (U) leaders had cared to call on Mr. Kumar to enquire about his health, at such a crucial juncture when the NDA was said to be struggling to obtain a majority.

The intra-party conflict between the BJP and the JD (U) is also threatening to spoil the chances of their candidates in the fray. The Union Minister of State for Social Justice, Nagmani, who is contesting the Chatra seat in Jharkhand on a BJP ticket, has launched a tirade against his senior Cabinet colleague and JD (U) leader contesting from Madhepura.

He is upset with Mr. Sharad Yadav for fielding the former Jharkhand Assembly Speaker, Inder Singh Namdhari, on the JD (U) ticket against him. Mr. Nagmani was locked in a triangular contest in which the RJD candidate was said to have gained the edge.

Mr. Nagmani in a bid to get back at Mr. Sharad Yadav has openly given a call to his caste men, the Koeris, an intermediary backward caste, not to vote for the latter. It was claimed that there were one lakh Koeri voters in the Yadav dominated constituency, where Mr. Sharad Yadav depends on votes other than the Yadavs, Muslims and the Dalits. Mr. Nagmani's open defiance could only work to Mr. Sharad Yadav's disadvantage and prove a boon to the RJD chief from unexpected quarters. The post-poll scenario may well see a new alignment of political forces in Bihar and Jharkhand.

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