Seat talks over, BJP seeks one more seat from JD(U)

There is unhappiness in the JD(U) camp over what many in the party point out is the ‘‘shabby treatment being meted out by the BJP ...

There is unhappiness in the JD(U) camp over what many in the party point out is the ‘‘shabby treatment being meted out by the BJP leaders’’. Not only has the issue of party leader George Fernandes shifting from Nalanda to the Muzaffarpur constituency been questioned by the BJP, a section of the BJP leadership has also asked the JD(U) leaders if they are going to hand over one seat in lieu of Muzaffarpur.

What has irked them, say JD(U) functionaries, is that the disputes over seat adjustment have long been amicably resolved. Nevertheless, they alleged, Fernandes received a call from a senior BJP leader as late as Sunday trying to find out if a seat would be offered in exchange in either north or central Bihar.

What the JD(U) leaders do mind is the way the BJP is giving importance to Jai Narayan Nishad, a former RJD MP who was with the JD (U) also before moving over to the BJP. The JD(U) argument is that Nishad represents a minority caste in Thakur-Bhuminar dominated Muzaffarpur. For the NDA, Fernandes is a sure bet.

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The JD (U) points out that with Fernandes fighting the polls from north Bihar, the party will be able to consolidate its position. Its support base in the region is being eroded and with Fernandes moving over to Muzaffarpur, the Bhumihars, who have long felt insufficiently represented in the NDA, will have less reasons to complain.

There is denial that Fernandes was feeling less comfortable with Kurmi-dominated Nalanda and hence this northward shift. A JD (U) spokesman said it was Nitish who had spelt out that he would be more comfortable in Nalanda and Fernandes sought out Muzaffarpur only after that. He pointed out that Fernandes had really nurtured Nalanda having gifted the constituency an ammunition factory with an employment potential of 1,000 and a possible ancillary industries employment of over 10,000.

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