New ally found wanting — in support and presence

Two other JDU members, Ram Nath Thakur and Bashistha Narain Singh could not be contacted. Both were seen in the Parliament. “There was no whip issued,” said a JDU member tersely.

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Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) Chief Nitish Kumar.

There was another sub plot to the government’s embarrassment in the Rajya Sabha, with its new-found ally, the Janata Dal (United), found wanting, both in attendance as well as support for the Constitution amendment bill on backward classes. Leader of the JDU in the House, Sharad Yadav, voted with the Congress and other Opposition parties on the amendment moved by Congress leader Digvijay Singh, which sought changes in the composition of the proposed commission.

This flies in the face of JDU’s stated position; its general secretary, KC Tyagi, had made it clear that after the alliance with the BJP in Bihar, “our party MPs in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will cooperate with the government on policy matters.”

Not only did the JDU floor leader vote with the Opposition, its members were also not in full attendance. JDU member Ali Anwar Ansari, who was the first to go to the town against Nitish Kumar’s decision on the alliance with the BJP, was not present in the House at the time of voting. When contacted, he said he had to attend an agitation on the farmer issue at Jantar Mantar. Another JDU member Harivansh said he was in Patna.

Two other JDU members, Ram Nath Thakur and Bashistha Narain Singh could not be contacted. Both were seen in the Parliament. “There was no whip issued,” said a JDU member tersely. Nitish Kumar’s confidante RCP Singh is the chief whip in the House.

The voting on the four Opposition amendments were passed by 74 to 52 votes, causing an embarrassment for the ruling side which has a strength of 89, if JD(U)’s 10 members are also counted with them.

Sharad Yadav said the legislation in its present form would make the proposed commission toothless while Ram Nath Thakur asked the government to abolish the ‘creamy layer’ policy. Only a handful of JDU members were present in the House during voting on the bill. “But the BJP was also not in full attendance” reasoned a JDU leader.

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