Faced with Paswan departure, Yadav puts on show of strength

The “Vikas rally”, which had aroused considerable interest among political observers because of its list of speakers, was attended among others by Samata Party leaders Nitish Kumar and Digvijay Singh, BJP vice-president Sanghpriya Gautam, Loktantrtik Congress president and UP Energy Minister Naresh Aggarwal and Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party leader Ramashraya Kushwaha.

But it was Paswan’s absence, and Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar’s presence, which gave an indication of political realignments in the future. While lauding Yadav for organising such a shandaar and jandaar (grand) rally “which would prove to be a milestone in Indian politics,” the latter lamented about the proliferation of political parties in the country. This was particularly true of the socialists who, he said, had a habit of fighting at regular intervals. “People are fed up with so many parties,” he said, adding: “There is need to reduce their numbers.”

Kumar’s observations are being considered as significant and have revived talks of a merger between the JD (U) and the Samata Party with the aim of consolidating the anti-Laloo Yadav forces in Bihar. The only stumbling block is Paswan who, miffed with Yadav’s style of functioning, has already announced that he would float a party of his own on November 23 under the banner of `Jan Shakti.’

The Samata Party leader hit out at leaders “who believe in the politics of sabotage” — a remark which was seen as an oblique reference to Paswan. “I believe in the politics of joining hands,” he said.

Over the next few months, Yadav plans to organise similar rallies in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Bihar in order to reviltalise his moribund outfit.