JD(U) vs RJD over who’s national leader

“The RJD and the JD (U) are two parties and have a right to broadbase their support in other states. It would be good if Laluji joins us in the expansion effort.”
For the RJD, national spokesperson Manoj Jha said, “We have already made it clear that we are game for replicating the grand alliance experiment but are against projecting any individual as the face of the fight against the BJP. We should leave that to time and circumstances. Laluji has been the face of the anti-BJP campaign for a long time, he has talked about playing a national role. Did he not play a big role in the Bihar victory?”

Lalu had said after the victory that he would “go to the PM’s Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi with the lantern (RJD symbol)” to launch a nationwide campaign against the BJP. The RJD chief, who reinstated Ram Chandra Purve as state RJD chief on Saturday, said the NDA government would collapse midway and “there could be a mid-term poll”.

Both parties’ spokespersons insisted everything is fine with their alliance. Their statements, however, came amid an exchange among second- and lower-rung leaders of the two parties. These were set off after Lalu had said he would tell Nitish Kumar to “send DMs and SPs to the field to restore public confidence in law and order”.

Tyagi said top leaders had not attacked one another. “We know Laluji played a key role in Bihar victory but it is also true that it was Nitishji who led it.” Jha said. “Laluji is not at loggerheads with Nitishji.” He added recent statements from either side were fired by “loose cannons” who spoke without thinking while top leaders have refrained from attacking one another.

Tyagi said the RJD has charted out plans for expansion to emerge as an effective anti-BJP front in states going to polls.

“We are in touch with Assam leaders Prafulla Kumar Mahanta (AGP) and Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF). Nitish Kumar met Rahul Gandhi to discuss this during his recent Delhi trip. Our top leaders also met Ajit Singh (RLD) for a possible alliance in UP. We are also in touch with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. Our party has two MLAs in Kerala and we are part of the UDF government there. We also have a five-term MLA in Gujarat,” he said.

He added Nitish Kumar would play an important role in the Assam elections where the BJP is optimistic after winning seven Lok Sabha seats. “Our idea is to counter the BJP where it is strong,” he said.