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Patna,(BiharTimes): Though the Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders justify the party’s decision to put up former chief minister Rabri Devi as its candidate for the Legislative Council election and call it a strategic move, the truth is that it has once again given the opportunity to the rivals to criticize the preference of family over party leaders. |
Both the BJP and Janata Dal (United) leaders were quick to comment that Lalu Yadav has not learnt from the past mistakes. Chief minister Nitish Kumar even went on to congratulate Rabri Devi in advance fully knowing that the presence of Lalu Yadav in Patna would consolidate his (Nitish’s) own position.
Not only that, political observers are of the view that Lalu’s decision reflects a sense of insecurity. It seems that he is not very sure to win his own parliamentary seat, Saran, in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. That is why he wants his wife to enter the Upper House of the state Assembly and ensure political presence in Bihar for at least six more years.
However, the RJD leaders who are quite used to the family domination, are of the view that the presence of Rabri Devi in the Council would pave the way for the fightback. With Lalu about to marry sixth of the seven daughters later this month, both husband and wife would be a bit relaxed and may give more time in Bihar.
It is argued that with just 22 MLAs the party is weak in the state Assembly, so the presence of Rabri Devi in the Upper House may give it an opportunity to get more media coverage. Had the state party chief Ramchandra Purve or former Sonepur MLA, Rananuj Yadav (who left the seat for Rabri Devi to contest in 2010) been selected none of them may succeed in achieving the same goal.
But then, when Rabri herself was the leader of opposition in the state Assembly last time she hardly raise any serious issue. So the past record suggests that she would not be able to do much in the Council too. In fact the present RJD leader there, Ghulam Ghouse, manage to raise the issues more forcefully.
But than the RJD has an opportunity. Unlike in the first term of the Nitish government this time there is a lot of issues to corner the state government. The CAG report, the Income Tax raid in the house and business presmises of close aide of the chief minister, constant rise in crime and rampant corruption and loot are some of the issues which can be raised now.
Unlike in the first term the public mood is also changing. So if not Rabri Devi, her spouse Lalu Yadav may get more opportunity to speak––outside the House, at least. But only time will tell whether he would be in position to regain his lost touch.
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