RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav today took a chartered flight to rush to Patna from Delhi—where he is attending seat-sharing talks with UPA allies—and dash back after making a 20-minute speech at a party function.It was a meeting of the Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) which forced Laloo to take time out of the seat-sharing talks to hop to Patna and back. In the run-up to the Assembly polls, there is a scramble among political parties to win over EBCs. Parties aspiring to rule the state are promising all sops to this section, which has emerged crucial in deciding their fate.The EBCs in Bihar roughly account for 30 per cent of the population. Despite the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations and a backward caste regime in the state for the past 15 years, this section continues to be a deprived lot. EBC organisations, exhibiting militant vigour this time are making demands for a sizeable number of seats for their members and the parties are leaving nothing to chance to woo them. But the problem for political parties is that more than 100 castes come under the section and each is making a separate demand for adequate representation.Laloo, on his part, tried his best to win their confidence stressing that only he was their true well-wisher. ‘‘It was only I who gave you adequate representation and dignity. Now it is time for you repay,’’ he said. He pointed out that it was the RJD government which recommended that a number of EBC sections be granted dalit status. He also used the occasion to attack the Election Commission alleging that it was biased against officers belonging to the backward and minority communities.The RJD chief, however, is the last to hold a meeting of EBCs. NDA leader Nitish Kumar and LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan have already staged similar shows. Both the leaders have promised that this time their party would give adequate representation to EBCs in fielding them as candidates. The upcoming Assembly election is set to be a triangular contest among the Cong-RJD, NDA and the LJP-CPI, and thereby a closely-fought battle. And in every Assembly constituency of the state, the EB section can hold the key to the fate of a particular party.‘Paswan BJP agent’PATNA: RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav today accused LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan of being ‘‘an agent of BJP’’. ‘‘In his heart, he does not want a Muslim but Nitish Kumar as chief minister),’’ Prasad said. — PTI
