Convenes all-party meet; move seen as his increasing proximity to RJD
In yet another sign of growing proximity between the Janata Dal(U) and the RJD in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has convened an all-party to develop consensus on holding a caste census in Bihar. Leader of Opposition and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav recently met Nitish Kumar to press for holding the caste census.
The BJP has been all along opposed to such an exercise apprehending that could revive the Mandal politics all over again, but the party is expected to attend the meeting. The BJP leadership does not want the caste census to become a trigger for political instability in Bihar at a time when the relationship between the JD(U) and the saffron party is at an all-time low.
Incidentally, the Union Government had gone on record in Parliament saying there was no move to hold a countrywide caste census.
The move has come amid speculation that Nitish was moving away from the BJP and has finalised some secret “deal” with the RJD. The crisis in Bihar NDA has yet another dimension. There is a strong buzz that the JD(U) may deny Rajya Sabha nomination to Union Steel Minister RCP Singh, who is seen as close to the BJP leadership. The denial of ticket to RCP could be seen as yet another rebuff to the BJP by Nitish, who has already opposed the BJP on demand for a Uniform Civil Code and removal of a loudspeaker from masjids.
Nitish has also reservations about bringing back the CAA and the NRC and said that he would want that a suggestion made by his party in 2010 should be the criteria for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The political temperature in Bihar has also risen amid reports that Nitish has asked his party MLAs to stay put in Patna for the next 72 hours, while he himself is going to Rajgir on Tuesday. While JD(U) leader Shrawan Kumar denied that any such directive has been issued to the MLAs, reports said majority of the MLAs and senior JD(U) leaders are camping in Patna.
Incidentally, last time in 2018 when Nitish dumped the RJD to join hands with the BJP, he had gone to Rajgir, obviously to consider his political step away from the hustle and bustle of politics.
The way Nitish Kumar and his party have refused to comment on corruption cases and CBI raids against Lalu Prasad and his family members has become another talking point in Bihar politics. It was the same Nitish Kumar who dumped the RJD in 2018 on the issue of corruption.
Asked to comment on the date of the all-party meeting, Nitish said, “Many parties have agreed to the date. But we must have the consent of all parties for holding the meeting on any particular date.”
The JD(U) leader, whose ally BJP has of late grown aggressive over the issue, expressed confidence that all parties in the state will back the proposed move before clearance is given by the cabinet.