The supporters of soft-spoken BJP state president, Dr C.P. Thakur, are surprised over his “new-found aggressiveness” in taking on chief minister Nitish Kumar and the JD(U).
After the defection of former party MLC Sanjay Jha to the JD(U), Thakur said many JD(U) leaders were waiting to join the BJP. When he was asked why the BJP was holding a separate rally in favour of special status to Bihar when its ally — the JD(U) — was holding a rally in Gandhi Maidan on the same issue, Thakur said: “The JD(U) supported Pranab Mukherjee without taking our consent.” While Nitish sarcastically remarked that “Doctor Sahib” could take away as many JD(U) legislators he wished, the BJP leaders insisted that the target of his “aggressiveness” was neither the chief minister nor the JD(U). “It is actually aimed at deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who has to cool down the matter each time Thakur opens his mouth. Thakur holds Modi responsible for his son not getting a seat in Bihar Legislative Council,” said a senior BJP leader.
After a prolonged silence, BJP MLA Rameshwar Prasad accused the party’s national spokesperson, Shivanand Tiwari, of taking supari from RJD chief Lalu Prasad to break the alliance between his party and the JD(U). Rameshwar's remark was in response to Tiwari’s statement on L.K. Advani giving a clean-chit to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. Rameshwar was virtually banished from Bihar for his statements against Nitish and was made the Delhi BJP in-charge. “But Tiwari is an easy punching bag because he has been equally close to Lalu and Nitish. Either of the parties can charge him with having a nexus with the rival party’s chief,” said a senior JD(U) leader. The JD(U) ministers appear to be happy over the widening rift between their party and the BJP. Their joy has nothing to do with the electoral politics. They feel that the tiff appears to have forced a change in chief minister Nitish Kumar's attitude towards them. “Previously, the chief minister used to have very little time for us and even turned impatient while hearing us. Now, he not only gives us time but also listens to us patiently,” said a JD(U) minister, wondering if the sudden change in the attitude of the chief minister had something to do with keeping his men happy before the formal split with the BJP. In case of a split, Nitish will lose support of 91 MLAs from the current 209 MLAs. “A lower majority in the House means more politeness from the leader,” said another JD(U) leader. Several MLCs have returned the excess money they had claimed in travel bills after the inspection report of the accountant-general came to light. Most of them are mourning the losses. “I took Rs 42,000 as my tour bill. Now, I have had to return about Rs 20,000,” said an MLC, insisting that he had actually spent more than Rs 35,000 on the tour. Most MLCs are now blaming the clerks of the Council for making wrong bills and getting signed by them. “But that shows the dependence of the MLCs on the clerks and the fact that they sign on documents without even reading them,” said a seasoned politician.
