BJP MLC Sachchidanand Rai on Saturday sought to know the “nature of relationship” between the BJP and its alliance partner JD(U), days after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar got the state police to order a probe into how the special branch had issued a letter to his sub-ordinates, seeking the address and work-related details of RSS functionaries across the state. Rai also sought the intervention of the BJP central leadership to clear the air on the issue. “The way NDA government is functioning in Bihar, it does not bode well for the coming days,” Rai told reporters in New Delhi. Praising BJP workers, he said the party must not be “taken lightly and can win next elections on its own”. Rai, who is also a businessman and has been critical of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, said Kumar was only interested in “remaining CM irrespective of which alliance he is part of”. Referring to the ties between his party and the JD(U), he asked, “Ye rishta kya kehlata hai (how do you define this relationship)?” The BJP MLC also sought the intervention of his party’s central leadership to clear the air on the controversy around the letter. “It is time for our central leadership to take note of it.” BJP spokesperson Rajib Ranjan said, “It was unfortunate for the state government to spy on RSS.” However, Union minister and Begusarai MP Giriraj Singh, who had earlier taken exception to the matter, said, “Since the Bihar CM has clarified his position and ordered inquiry into the special branch letter’s origin, there is no need to react.” JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi said, “Bihar Police have already made their stand clear. It is a non-issue. We expect BJP to restrain its leaders from making irresponsible statements.” BJP sources said that even though frontline leaders would not speak on the matter, the party’s second-rung leaders would “offer tactical counter” to JD(U)’s political overture. “With RJD declaring Tejashwi Prasad Tadav as its CM nominee for 2020 Assembly polls, there is little chance of JD (U) thinking of leaving NDA. Political overtures are part of the game and would only intensify as Assembly election gets closer,” a BJP leader said.
