RJD squirms as leader dismisses bid to unite Oppn, mocks Nitish

Speaking to HT, Tiwary said his remarks about Kumar were misinterpreted as he had only recalled how he and the JD(U) strongman used to talk about opening ashrams in their leisure time.

Amid the ongoing efforts by the JD(U) and the RJD, the two ruling allies in Bihar, to mobilise opposition parties for posing a united challenge to the BJP in the 2024 parliamentary polls, senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary has stirred a controversy by raising doubts about formation of an opposition alliance in the current political circumstances.

Senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwary. (HT Photo)

Tiwary, who cast doubts about formation of a larger opposition alliance while speaking at the state council meeting of the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) on Wednesday, said his statement should be seen in perspective of the current political scenario in the country where several opposition parties have their own preferences and ideologies.

Standing firm on his statement, Tiwary said his statement should be seen in the context of how Congress itself is gearing up to make the organisation strong while several regional parties have their reservations of joining an alliance with Congress, like the Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress.

“In 1977, when there was a united opposition front , there were stalwarts like socialist Jay Prakash Narayan, who rallied the opposition. Today, the scenario is different and I still have doubts whether such a combined opposition would come into being,” he said.

However, the former minister, known for his straight talk, emphasised that the recent initiative by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to rally opposition parties had received positive response and sent a good message across the country. “ CM Nitish is doing a good work to unite the opposition parties,” he said.

Tiwary, however, has apparently left the RJD’s brass embarrassed.

“Whatever Tiwary said about the opposition unity is his personal opinion. Our stand is clear that CM Kumar and deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav have drawn a blue print to generate maximum employment in little time. They are also working for drawing up a pro-people agenda for the 2024 parliamentary polls. Rest is all speculation,” said RJD’s Manoj Jha, a Rajya Sabha member.

Speaking at the RJD meet on Wednesday in the presence of party chief Lalu Prasad, Tiwary also raised eyebrows when he said Nitish Kumar should hand over the chief ministerial post in 2025 to Tejashwi Yadav and “open an ashram”

His remarks predictably upset Kumar’s party JD(U) , which was quick to hit back.

JD-U’s parliamentary board chairman Upendra Kushwaha said, in a tweet, said, “Nitish Kumar ji is not going to open the ashram yet. The prayers of crores of countrymen are with him. They want Nitish ji to continue to serve the people of India while staying at the peak of power. But if you (Tiwary) need, you should look for some ashram.”

Speaking to HT, Tiwary said his remarks about Kumar were misinterpreted as he had only recalled how he and the JD(U) strongman used to talk about opening ashrams in their leisure time.

Tiwary and Kumar have had long association in their political careers spanning decades.

To support his point, the RJD leader also referred to Kumar‘s recent statement that younger generation should now come forward in politics, while pointing towards the deputy CM.

Meanwhile, opposition BJP’s state spokesperson Nikhil Anand said Tiwary’s advice to CM Kumar to make way for Tejashwi was a fact and it would soon happen. “ Whatever Tiwary has said is a fact,. RJD will soon kick out the JD-U and make Tejashwi the chief minister. CM Kumar will be forced to take retirement,” said Anand.

He said RJD’s plans are evident because its top leaders kept smiling when Tiwary made the statement at the party’s state council meeting and the party has not yet issued any clarification.

This isn’t the first duel between allies RJD and JD-U after they came together last month to form a new government in Bihar.

Earlier this month, state’s agricultural minister Sudhakar Singh, who is son of state RJD president Jagdanand Singh, had dared CM Kumar to sack him after claiming that there was rampant corruption in his and other departments.

Later, he had stormed out of a cabinet meeting, a fact conceded by Kumar himself.