Personal relationship goes beyond politics
Leaders of almost all the political parties converged in the chamber of Bihar Legislative Council chairman Tarakant Jha to say, “Sir, we will miss you.” he BJP denied re-nomination to the octogenarian leader, virtually ending his legislative life. The Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, was the first to turn up and say: “The BJP should not have dropped you.” Siddiqui then took a friendly jibe at the BJP health minister, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, present there. “Choubeyji and I were put behind the bars together during the JP Movement. We have been good friends. But then Choubeyji too failed to save Tara Babu.” Choubey, also known for speaking his mind even against the high and mighty in the ruling alliance, said: “Maine prayas bahot kiya lekin safal nahin hua (I tried but failed).” Then RJD MP Ramkripal Yadav and the Leader of the Opposition in the Council, Ghulam Ghaus, entered the chairman’s chamber together and said: “Sir, we have worked under your chairmanship. We will miss your company.” Tarakant smiled and returning the gesture said: “All of you love me. I don’t need anything more.” What became obvious was Bihar leaders are good at maintaining personal relationship despite their political differences. After the BJP state president, C.P. Thakur, failed to earn a state Legislative Council seat for his son Vivek Thakur, his supporters are seething in anger against the deputy chief minister, Sushil Kumar Modi. They believe that Modi was behind the exclusion of Vivek’s name from the list of wannabe lawmakers. One of the supporters of Thakur, while strolling in the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park, said: “Modi has turned dictatorial and whimsical in company with the chief minister Nitish Kumar. We will teach him (Modi) a lesson when the time comes. After all, Thakur is a respected person. Why should his son not enter the Legislative Council?” But his walk-mate and another leader said: “Unlike the RJD and the Congress, the BJP is not a family party. Thakur, who is the party president, should have desisted from making efforts to send his son to the Council.” Thakur’s supporter soon turned angry and said: “Please don't stroll with me. You seem to be a Modi chamcha (follower of Modi).” The RJD chief, Lalu Prasad, hardly ends his speeches without referring to the name of the socialist icon and his mentor Karpoori Thakur. Ahead of scripting the second comeback of his wife Rabri Devi in the State Legislative Council, he told his workers: “Karpoori Thakur ke sapne ko sakar karna hai (We have to turn Kapoori Thakur’s dreams into reality).” An RJD worker in the crowd said: “He (Lalu) should feel ashamed of even bringing Karpooriji’s name on his lips. Nobody knew the name of Karpooriji’s wife and Karpoori kept his son, Ramnath Thakur, out of politics till his death. But Laluji is sending his wife to the Council after being defeated in the Assembly polls.” But another RJD supporter said: “Laluji was the first to make Ramnath Thakur a minister in his cabinet. He (Lalu) took care of Karpoori’s son too.”Revelling over other’s frailty
While the ruling alliance is rejoicing Rabri Devi’s inclusion in the Legislative Council, the RJD is revelling in growing bitterness between the BJP and the JD(U). “We are very happy that Rabri Devi will enter the Council again. She will remind people of Lalu’s anarchic days,” said a BJP leader. The Leader of the Opposition, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, soon said: “Please keep silent. We hope you too will join us in the Opposition bench soon. We will then make a strong Opposition, disallowing the Nitish government from functioning in the House.” The BJP leader said: “Alliance pakka hai, kabhi nahin tutega (Our alliance is rock solid; it will never break).” Siddiqui said: “Alliance Narendra Modi ke haath mein hai, aap ke haath mein nahin (Narendra Modi will decide on the future of the JD(U)-BJP alliance in Bihar, not you people).”
