Bihar’s ruling JD(U) is facing stiff internal opposition to its emerging plans to induct three Opposition RJD leaders and regional strongmen who quit their party last week. Ruling ally BJP, concerned about its future in western Bihar, has also opposed the move.
While the three former ministers in the previous RJD government — Awadh Bihari Choudhary, Indradeo Prasad and Ejazul Haque — are all set to join the JD(U) on July 29, their long proximity with jailed don and former RJD MP Mohammed Shahabuddin has come as an obstacle. The trio, influential leaders in the RJD’s erstwhile stronghold of the western district of Siwan, had resigned from their party on July 16.
JD(U) sources said chief minister and party stalwart Nitish Kumar appears keen to let the trio join the main ruling party so as to weaken the RJD in western Bihar. The move, added the sources, would also allow the JD(U) to create a stronger base for itself in Siwan, where the BJP currently represents a majority of the Assembly seats. But growing opposition from several JD(U) and BJP leaders seems to have made decision making on this matter tougher for Mr Kumar.
On Monday, a team of JD(U) leaders from Siwan reportedly made their opposition to the induction of the trio clear to the party’s senior leaders in Patna during a NDA workers’ meeting chaired by Mr Kumar. Siwan’s JD(U) leaders had also openly voiced their opposition earlier.
“These three leaders have had long, close links with Shahabuddin and they were instrumental in several murders and criminal incidents in Siwan. We are strongly against the JD(U) welcoming them,” JD(U) state executive member from Siwan Indradev Singh said. JD(U) general secretary Ashraf Ansari and district board member Sangeeta Kumari also expressed similar opposition.