The split in the Janata Dal (U) hours before its merger with the Samata Party has certainly buoyed the prospects of the RJD in the Bihar Assembly. One of the two members who broke away to form the newly-christened JD(U) (Democratic), Devendra Prasad Yadav, has admitted he has at least six MLAs from the JD(U) on his side. Speculation is rife that it is only a matter of time before he and his group aligns with the RJD. ‘‘They have been in touch with us,’’ revealed a source from the Laloo camp.The chill between Prasad and Laloo had begun to thaw several months ago. The ice broke when Laloo called on Prasad when his son was seriously ill in hospital. It is also public knowledge that the by-election to Satuha seat in the Bihar legislature was won by the RJD because of Prasad’s tacit support. It was a blow to the JD(U) and the Samata as both Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar had campaigned for their common candidate.Prasad fell out with Laloo in 1997 when the Deve Gowda government’s investigations into the fodder scam forced Laloo to form his own party, the RJD. Prasad stayed on with the JD but Laloo got his revenge when he forced Gujral to remove his former colleague from the Cabinet and appoint his nominee, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh. Prasad was the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies.But the JD(U)’s surprise support to the BJP-led NDA Government disillusioned Prasad and it has been a spiral down since. He has been disenchanted with party president Sharad Yadav on this issue. ‘‘My battle has been against Laloo but there was never any question of supporting the BJP,’’ he has said often. Today’s split may ironically see him go back to Laloo again.
