PATNA/NEW DELHI, OCT 7: Laloo Prasad Yadav is out. His carefully cultivated myth of being the messiah of the poor lies scattered in the plains of rural Bihar, the region which projected him as the invincible leader of the backwards and the minorities.With just seven seats, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's formidable Muslim-Yadav-Dalit combination cracked this time as the Yadavs chose to elect the Janata Dal (United). Together with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the anti-Laloo alliance swept 39 seats out of 50.Sure of winning after pressing virtually the entire government machinery into service, Laloo is finding it hard to come to terms with his defeat in Madhepura. For the last two days, he has holed himself up in the official residence of the Chief Minister and his wife Rabri Devi.Though the BJP won 22 seats, the JD(U) has been the major gainer with 17. In the 1998 elections, the BJP had won 20 and the Samata 10.Nitish Kumar, senior JD(U) leader, who won a close fight in Barh, said that his party,with the former Janata Dal, had been helped by Vajpayee's image and this had won the confidence of the backwards, especially the Dalits.Much before the elections, it was apparent that Laloo was on slippery ground. His alleged involvement in scams, complete neglect of development or the welfare of the poor were expected to go against him. He chose to ignore all this, harping on his pet thesis: "I am fighting the Mahabharata against communal forces." Few bought it this time.The Left and the Congress which allied with Laloo have been hit hard. The CPI failed to open its account and the CPI(M) is no where in the running.Gaya Singh, the CPI Rajya Sabha member, who was pitted against George Fernandes by Laloo failed to even register his presence in the area.The birth of the JD(U) is being seen as the most significant development of this election as it has the potential to emerge as the dominant political force in the State. This time, it won in even those areas that are dominated by the Yadavsand the Dalits in north Bihar, a traditional RJD bastion.For the BJP, too, a surprise victory came when its candidate in Kishanganj defeated the veteran Taslimuddin who has been the uncrowned leader of the region due to his muscle power.However, sources in Delhi said that as state elections - scheduled for March next year - approach, the relationship between the two NDA allies are likely to come under some strain, especially on the issues of seat-sharing and the chief ministerial candidate.A senior BJP leader from the State, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that there were roadblocks ahead but hoped that these would be sorted out in due time as "the common aim of the two parties is to ensure that Laloo is routed in the assembly elections".The RJD government may be the immediate victim of the thrashing received by the party. Rumblings have begin in the RJD with sources saying that at least 50 MLAs held a secret meeting and decided to part ways with Laloo. These MLAs have been inconstant touch with Ram Vilas Paswan and Sushil Kumar Mody.BJP leader Sushil Mody said: "They are welcome to cross over. But we would not like to form a government with cobbling a majority with the help of these Legislators. We will prefer to face fresh elections."Even before the campaigning for the elections commenced, four MLAs including two senior ministers, deserted the sinking ship. The process, from the indications available, is likely to speed up in the days to come.
