Hint of strain in Bihar Mahagathbandan over bureaucratic wrangle

Former state agriculture minister Sudhakar Singh who stepped down from the Cabinet earlier this month over his differences with the CM told The Indian Express, “I was not able to get the desired information from my department secretary despite several reminders. But the CM kept praising the secretary. There was no way I could have continued as minister.”

Unlike Sudhakar Singh, other RJD ministers have not been vocal on the matter as RJD national president Lalu Prasad has authorised Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to speak on policy and party matters. An RJD leader said, “Every time, a new government takes over, it has been a part of practice to select a new team of bureaucrats. But all the bureaucrats from NDA days have been in the saddle. Second, most top bureaucrats are directly reporting to the CM, bypassing department ministers. There have also been differences over transfer and postings of middle and junior-level officials.”

Though Tejashwi has not yet reacted, several RJD leaders want him to assert himself as the RJD is the senior alliance partner and not allow Nitish Kumar to take the party for granted. “The party cadre looks demotivated. We are not organising any major party functions, while the JD(U) has been taking credit for holding functions on Jayaprakash Narayan’s birth and death anniversaries, which were this month only. We want Tejashwi’s graph to rise. After all, he almost won us elections on his own in 2020,” a senior RJD functionary said, requesting anonymity.

In response to the restlessness of RJD leaders, Nitish Kumar seemingly went back to its old tactic of playing pressure politics, reminding the poor law-and-order situation that existed in the days before the JD(U) came to power. The CM on Friday said, “What was the condition of Bihar before 2005? People could not venture out of their houses after evening.”

A JD(U) insider said, “The CM might not feel comfortable with campaigning for RJD candidates for the coming Mokama and Gopalganj bypolls. While Mokama candidate Neelam Devi is the wife of convicted muscleman Anant Singh, the RJD’s Gopalganj candidate Mohan Gupta was associated with the liquor trade before prohibition was imposed in Bihar.”

Former CM and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) Jitan Ram Manjhi seemingly confirmed the disturbance in the ruling alliance when he said on Saturday, “Former CM Mahamaya Prasad Sinha used to say that he would often change alliance in the public interest. If Nitish Kumar does anything like that, we will welcome it.” The HAM(S) is one of the smaller allies in the Mahagathbandan but has tended to follow in the footsteps of the JD(U). Sources said Manjhi was doing “shadow boxing” on behalf of the Nitish-led party.

BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said, “One can understand the discomfort of Nitish Kumar in the company of the RJD. His condition is like being invited to a banquet. When he is not treated well at the banquet, he tries to smile.”