|
|
Patna,(BiharTimes): The failure of the Janata Dal (United) to even open its account in Uttar Pradesh––though it, like the arch-rival RJD, won a seat in far-away Manipur––has exposed the limitation of the so-called Bihar model. |
What is shocking is not just the defeat, but the manner and margin by which it lost in the 200-odd Assembly constituencies it contested. In most of them its candidate ended up somewhere between eighth and 12th position, much below several Independents.
Janata Dal (United)’s rout was predictable as the party has performed disastrously in Jharkhand and West Bengal too. But what is more surprising now is the manner in which the BJP is being blamed. Party general secretaries, K C Tyagi, and Shivanand Tiwary, squarely held the BJP responsible for the break up of alliance when the truth is that the chief minister Nitish Kumar himself adopted a go it alone policy.
The Janata Dal (United) wanted to make its entry in those constituencies of east UP where the Kurmi population is sizeable as Apna Dal had got weakened after the death of its leader, Sonelal Patel. Apna Dal is considered as a party of Kurmis in UP.
The BJP leaders have got an opportunity to cut the stature of Nitish Kumar. They are busy telling the mediapersons that wherever the Bihar chief minister went to campaign in UP, the Janata Dal (United) performed poorly. In contrast the BJP performed better in the constituencies where deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi went. In fact Modi campaigned in many of those constituencies where Nitish went to campaign for his own party a few days before. So here at least Chota Modi scored a point over Nitish.
Now a section of Press is engaged in damage limitation exercise. A prominent English journalist of Bihar wrote a fantastic piece stating that the defeat in UP has cut Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav to size as it was at his insistence that the party fought the election alone in that state. Interestingly, it was this very journalist, who more than a month back, wrote how Nitish Kumar is entering UP with his model of development. The truth is that Sharad Yadav is simply a minor player in the Janata Dal (United) and it was Nitish’s decision to test the water of UP.
After the wipe-out of the Janata Dal (United) Nitish said that it was a lesson for all and that he, as in the past, would remain in the NDA. But both Sharad loyalist K C Tyagi and Nitish loyalist Shivanand Tiwary, launched a blistering attack on the BJP to distract the attention of the people.
Whatever the Janata Dal (United) leaders may now say the truth is that in cricketing terminology they consumed 200 balls and scored a big zero. The party will have to realize that it can score century only in home pitch and not outside.
Not only that the Janata Dal (United) has now become a party without any principle. Though it refused to have any alliance with UP––with which it contested 2007 Assembly poll and won a seat––in Manipur it joined the alliance which had, among other parties, the Rashtriya Janata Dal too. This notwithstanding the earlier announcement that it would not enter into any alliance in which there is RJD.
Victories of Janata Dal (United) and RJD in Manipur have less to do with Nitish or Lalu factor but more to do with the local politics.
comments...
| 
