To time it right, NDA pushes for early polls

An NDA delegation led by Nitish Kumar and comprising Sharad Yadav, Arun Jaitley, and M A Naqvi met the Election Commission this afternoon and urged for early elections in the state.

Arun Jaitley later said since Bihar was a ‘‘stand-alone’’ election, there would be enough security forces available and polls could be held in one or two phases within a short period.

Pointing out that ‘‘monsoons are not severe in Bihar, only post-monsoon floods are’’, he said the NDA was keen that polls take place by July.

But the main ‘‘constitutional’’ reason he cited was the need to have a new assembly in place by early September. Since President’s Rule was initially imposed in the state on March 7 and would lapse on Sept 7, the entire poll process should be completed by then, Jaitley said.

While Jaitley—whom party president L K Advani formally made election-in-charge of Bihar today—spoke of the weather, the electoral rolls and the constitutional position to make out a case for early polls, the real reason remains political.

Though NDA leaders claim that the JD(U)-BJP alliance will ‘‘sweep the polls’’ regardless of when it is held, they privately admit that an early election is far more favourable for at least three reasons.

First, the anger against ‘‘Laloo-Rabri Raj’’, enhanced by the Laloo-dictated dissolution, may not be as strong as it is now if elections are held some months away.

Second, the UPA will be in a far better position by October-November. Laloo Prasad Yadav has stated that he will not make the same mistakes he did last time when he gave only a handful of seats to the Congress and the Left. RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh too said there would be a ‘‘complete alliance’’ this time.

With the LJP legislature party practically decimated, Congress leaders could persuade Ram Vilas Paswan to come on board. A well-knit UPA alliance could fare much better, especially if the anti-incumbency mood that marked the February elections gets diluted by October.

The third reason is that the JD(U)-BJP alliance itself could develop strains the later the elections are held. As of now, the BJP is keen to project complete unity with JD(U) and has made it clear that Nitish Kumar is their CM candidate. Party leaders maintain there will be no friction in seat adjustments. But given that JD(U) fared way better than BJP in the last polls and the party won a number of Muslim MLAs, restive sections within the JD(U) may press for a greater share and say.

Raghuvansh says Rs 3 cr offered to switch sides

: RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh today also added his own bit to the allegations of horse-trading in Bihar. ‘‘The rebel legislators of the LJP were lured with Rs 3 crore each, ministerial berths and nomination of their wives in the state legislative council,’’ Singh alleged. Later in the day, JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar dismissed the allegations.