JD-U cancels mega rally on January 24, fuels buzz about changes in party

UUmesh Kushwaha, who leads the JD-U’s Bihar unit, made the formal announcement about the cancellation of the mega rally planned on January 24

PATNA: Bihar’s ruling Janata Dal-United on Tuesday announced the cancellation of its proposed rally in state capital Patna on January 24 proposed to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of the state’s prominent socialist and EBC leader Karpoori Thakur, fuelling buzz about a possible change in the party’s top organisation posts over the next few days.

Patna, Dec 25 (ANI): Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar with State Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and State Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav during the 99th birth anniversary celebration of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in Patna on Monday. (ANI Photo) (Pappi Sharma)

The Karpoori Thakur Jayanti programme is the second party event to be rescheduled by the JD-U over the last few days. The party earlier deferred Nitish Kumar’s proposed Varanasi rally scheduled for December 24.

Umesh Kushwaha, who leads the JD-U’s Bihar unit, made the formal announcement about the change in plans on Tuesday.

“The Karpoori Thakur Jayanti programme to be organised on January 24 in Patna has been cancelled on the advice of leaders, the chief minister’s instructions and keeping in mind the possibility of a cold wave. It was expected that 3 lakh people would participate. During the Bhim Sansad held recently, we faced problems in managing their stay. Now this programme will be organised at the district level,” Kushwaha.

Bihar minister and JD-U leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary denied rumours that JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ wanted to step down. Or that there was any truth to the swirling rumours about differences between Nitish Kumar and the party president.

“You speak of fissures in the JD(U). I say there is not even a scratch,” Chaudhary said at the party office on Tuesday.

“We, in the party, have heard nothing of that sort, but you people give things whatever spin you wish and then drop it when it suits your news cycle,” he said.

The JD-U national executive and national council meetings scheduled to be held on December 29 were “long overdue”, he added.

A senior party leader said the January 24 rally was cancelled in anticipation of “some important developments in the party”, a reference to a possible change in the party leadership.

The January 24 rally was an important event for the party, considering that it was to mark the end of the ‘Karpoori Charcha’ held from August 6 to reach out to people from the extremely backward classes.

The Karpoori Charcha was one of the three campaigns - ‘Bhaichara Yatra’ (that reached out to Muslims) and ‘Bhim Samvad’ (that was aimed at Dalit voters) - launched by the JD-U to mobilise support from people from the three key social groups.

The ‘Bhim Samvad’, which was launched on August 15 and saw JD(U) leaders at panchayat level visiting homes of Dalits, ended with a rally in Patna on November 26.

The ‘Karwan-e-Ittehad aur Bhaichara Yatra’ (march for unity and brotherhood), led by JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar, started from Narkatiaganj in West Champaran on 1 August and urges Muslims to reach out to Hindus and attend their social functions.