Senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said on Thursday he was “still with the grand alliance” as he began a three-day tour in which he is expected to rally together party leaders against their president and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
Yadav’s comments underscore the rift between him and Kumar after the Bihar CM’s decision to dump the grand alliance partnership with Congress and the RJD, and realign with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The beginning of Yadav’s tour on Thursday coincided with comments from JD(U) members who are against Kumar that they might seek to expel him or at least formally split the party. Sharad Yadav is seen as the leader of the faction.
“The disintegration of grand alliance government in Bihar has broken the trust of 11 crore citizens of the state,” Yadav told mediapersons after reaching Patna, his first visit to the state since the government change.
“I am going to meet the people and will discuss the situation. I have not done any preparation for this. I will stay overnight and will talk to people on this issue. There is a crisis of confidence among the people,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“I am going to meet the people and will discuss the situation. I have not done any preparation for this. I will stay overnight and will talk to people on this issue. There is a crisis of confidence among the people,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Yadav will visit nearly eight to ten constituencies where he is expected to hold talks with several JD(U) who are unhappy with Kumar’s ‘unilateral decision’ last month.
“I was one of those who asked the people of state to vote for the grand alliance. I consider it a responsibility to maintain. The people are hurt with the break-up of alliance”, he said.
Surprisingly, none of the JD(U) legislators close to Yadav were present to receive him at the Patna airport.
Only two JD (U) leaders – Ramai Ram and Rambadan Rai (who later joined BJP) -- and a large number of supporters, said to be from the RJD, welcomed him. Both Ram and Rai had lost the last assembly election.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday extended support to Yadav’s visit and recognised him as the real JD(U).
Prasad had said on Wednesday, the grand alliance still exists as RJD, the ‘Sharad Yadav-led JD(U)’ and Congress are partners. Yadav also backed the alliance, saying, “I stand by the mahagathbandhan.”
The presence of JD(U) leader Ram at the airport triggered unease in the party leadership, sources said, with JD(U) Muzaffarpur district president recommending action against him. Party sources said that JD(U) state president has sought a report on leaders who had gone to meet Yadav at the airport.
Yadav’s arrival triggered speculation that the party may take action against him, but a spokesperson rejected the suggestion. “All talks of split and action against Yadav are wrong,” said party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.
The JD (U), which had distanced itself from Yadav’s visit, called it a “RJD-sponsored yatra.”
“Not even a panchayat pramukh was present to welcome him. It is an RJD sponsored visit,” the JD(U) spokesperson said.