A day after the massive rally, there is a mix of euphoria and caution in the RJD camp.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad hinted at holding similar joint rallies in Lucknow and Kolkata and strengthening Opposition unity against the BJP ahead of the 2019 polls. But despite the turnout, negligible participation by EBCs, Dalits and other none-Yadav backward castes in the rally is worrying the RJD. "The rally proved that our core votes are intact but it is not enough to take on the BJP-JDU combine," said a senior RJD leader.
It is not that the RJD top leadership is not aware of the problem. During his speech, former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav appealed to participants to give "honour to extremely backward castes, Dalits, Muslims and other sections social justice".
"He virtually acknowledged the problem his party faces at the grass roots - domination of one caste over the others - which in turn triggers a backlash against his party," said an RJD leader pointing out that over 90% of rally participants were either Yadavs or Muslims. "Even rally posters and banners that came up in the city strengthened the perception that the RJD represents two sections of society."
One of the main reasons the JDU snapped ties with the RJD was because leaders of the JDU pleaded before Nitish Kumar saying their vote bank was "not compatible" with the RJD's social support. Nitish himself complained about problems arising at the grassroots because of one caste.
RJD leaders point out that they had the support of a majority of Yadavs and Muslims in the 2010 Assembly polls, they still ended up with just 22 of the 243 seats.
Lately, there has been a move to attract Chamar votes towards the party. Supporting Meira Kumar - the daughter of Dalit leader Jagjiwan Ram - and Lalu's statement that he was willing to support BSP chief Mayawati's re-election to the Rajya Sabha were efforts in this direction.
But then, Mayawati's refusal to share the stage with Lalu in Patna has raised a question mark on whether the move to lure Chamars to the RJD fold is working. The RJD remained optmistic on that front. "It is not as if Mayawati has rejected us. Talks with the BSP are still on," Lalu said on Monday.
However, the main problem of the RJD is its failure to lure EBCs - a substantial section which contributes 29% of the population in Bihar - into its fold.
After the 2000 Assembly elections, the EBCs have started to vote in block and their loyalty rests largely with Nitish Kumar and the BJP.
The RJD is aware that unless it manages to make inroads into this large section, it would be very difficult for it to defeat the BJP-JDU combine.
The Congress is a marginalised player in Bihar, having no social base of its own and it is on Lalu to lure back votes of social justice towards the RJD.
After 1990, all backward castes and Dalits galvanised towards Lalu, making him invincible. However, over the years, these votes got fragmented to other parties as the RJD relied largely on the Muslim-Yadav votes for its victory. Sunday's rally only underlines why it is important for the party to woo these votes back into its fold.
