Patna, June 13: “Lalu Prasad can’t take credit for the Union cabinet approving the relief package to Bhagalpur riot victims. The railway minister rescued those who perpetrated the genocide,” said JD(U) general secretary Shivand Tiwary today at a news conference.

The leader’s remark clearly signals a political battle ahead between Nitish Kumar and his arch rival Lalu Prasad — “the most vocal secularist” — to win over minority votes in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

The UPA has now taken the first step towards wooing the minority vote bank by announcing an R&R package for the riot victims.

Though almost 19 years have rolled by since the riots claimed over 800 lives in Bhagalpur, the issue is still politically alive and the Congress is yet to recover from the damage it suffered on account of the pogrom.

The Congress deems that the Bhagalpur riots and Babri mosque issue are the “two most important” reasons for the alienation of the party from the largest minority community.

Manmohan Singh’s cabinet approving Rs 3.5 lakh each to the next of kin of the victims is believed to be a part of the Congress’s “endeavour” to win back support of the estranged community before polls. In the race to claim credit, Lalu Prasad said: “We were trying hard for it (package). I am happy that our cabinet has provided compensation.”

A day after the remark, the JD(U) working hard to replace RJD as a “favourite” of the minority community in the state launched a frontal attack on Lalu Prasad.

“The railway minister sheltered Kameshwar Yadav, the main accused in the riots. He did not make any effort to punish those guilty when he became the chief minister soon after the genocide. He did not award any package in his 15-year regime,” reminded Shivanand Tiwary, the MP who is also the JD(U) national spokesman.

Tiwary explained how the Nitish Kumar government wrote to the Centre to provide relief to the victims and began a monthly pension soon after taking over the state’s reigns. Ironically, the development also indicate a battle in the making between “secular” protagonist Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, an ally of the saffron party. “Not even in his dreams could Lalu Prasad imagine that a BJP ally would make him work this hard for Muslim votes,” remarked a senior Congress leader.

He admitted: “Nitish has made efforts to win over the community and in the process alienated them from Lalu.”

In a private conversation, Nitish Kumar always admits that the character of the Bihar BJP is “different” from Narendra Modi-led Gujarat BJP.