New Delhi, July 25: The Bihar Mahagathbandhan that generated a flicker of hope in the secular camp is teetering on the brink as senior leaders indicated today any compromise between the Janata Dal United and the RJD looked impossible.
Congress leaders privately conceded that the chances of survival of the Grand Alliance government were bleak. They said the government could be saved only if RJD chief Lalu Prasad agreed to remove his son, deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, from the cabinet, which appeared to be a remote possibility.
Sources said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had ruled out any change of mind on Tejashwi's exit and the Congress's efforts to avert a crisis had drawn a blank. The RJD too is reviewing its earlier decision to pull out all the ministers if Tejashwi is sacked and extend outside support, arguing that the "insult" the party suffered was difficult to digest.
Tejashwi met Congress president Sonia Gandhi yesterday. Though what transpired in the one-on-one meeting wasn't revealed, sources said the Congress president has been extremely worried about the fate of the alliance and didn't appreciate Nitish's stubborn attitude. Congress leaders say Sonia believes sacking a minister on the basis of an FIR didn't appear reasonable against the backdrop of the BJP's refusal to drop any of its tainted lot.
One senior RJD leader told The Telegraph over phone from Patna: "Tejashwi's meeting with Sonia went off very well. She understood the problems in the right perspective. The Congress obviously does not support the JDU's obstinacy and its overriding concern is to save the alliance. But in the eventuality of a break-up, the Congress will remain with us." This leader also said Tejashwi was supposed to meet Rahul Gandhi today before flying to Patna, but the Congress neither confirmed nor denied the meeting.
Congress leaders expect the drama to unfold over the next couple of days, before the Bihar Assembly session begins on Friday. They see two possibilities: either Nitish himself offers to resign as chief minister or asks Tejashwi to put in his papers. After sacking Tejashwi, Nitish will go for a vote of confidence in the Assembly as the RJD is now most likely to withdraw support. The Congress too will be forced to opt out of the coalition if the BJP steps in to prop up the JDU government.
A senior Congress leader said: "How can we support the Nitish government if the BJP comes into the picture? No question at all. There is also a high degree of trust deficit with Nitish after he ditched Meira Kumar to support Ram Nath Kovind. Personal equations of our leader with Nitish have changed and it will be foolish to presume that Rahul still supports him. We know political blackmail and witch-hunt are part of Narendra Modi's strategy to break Opposition unity and Nitish has fallen into the trap."
"The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are being selectively used by this government to target Opposition leaders. An FIR can be registered against anybody. Nitish should understand he cannot have an alliance with the Congress, Trinamul Congress, NCP, SP and BSP either as there are cases against leaders of all these parties. Sonia and Rahul too are on bail in the National Herald case. This is the best recipe to destroy Opposition unity," this leader added.
Asked why can't the Congress and the RJD extend outside support to Nitish to save the alliance, one leader said: "The trust deficit is the main thing. Nitish has been engaging with the BJP central leadership over the past few days at a time when communication with Lalu Prasad has virtually collapsed. If there is no suspicion about the JDU's intentions, various ways can be explored to protect the coalition. There is also a fear that attempts will be made to break the JDU and the Congress as no legislator wants elections at this stage."
