Bihar elections: Netas can't transcend family's 'Lakshman Rekha'

For a long time, the ‘Biharis’ have been striving to bring development, peace, better law and order situation in the state, but so far without any success. No neutral individual can question the Biharis aspirations and determinations, given the enormous enthusiasm in voting against the then established monarch (Lalu-Rabri rule). In the midst of this decade, there were some improvements we got to see, but it failed to sustain any further. The reason was political ambitions, arrogance and ego. When Lalu’s wife’s government was overthrown from Patna, the people and well wishers of the state had thought that the new regime would scale up Bihar in the field of economy, employment generation, and education and provide security for all. The state was recovering gradually, inspite of slowdown at national as well as global level, Bihar was progressing at the rate of 14 per cent, but after a gap of 5-7 years, things started rewinding and reached to that scratch from where it took the baton. The growth rate slashed to 8 per cent, cases of kidnapping and murders have increased and the government diverted its attention from development to complex and divisive issues of castes, religions, backwards and forwards. India Inc which had shown interest to invest in the state started fleeing due to deteriorating law and order arrangements.   

When Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister in 2005 for the second time, the bureaucrats and police were granted full power to bring the system in place. The changes were visible across the nation and globe. Appreciations had poured in from international fora for its developmental policy and zero tolerance towards crimes. In order to empower women and extremely backward castes, the government provided reservation in the local bodies. Women started stepping out of the kitchen and actively participate in the decision making process. To raise the number of girls’ enrollment in the school, ‘cycle scheme’ was launched and the figures of registration shot up tremendously.

Since the elections in Bihar are at the corner, all the political parties are working hard to win more cake. Winnability of the candidates has been kept as the main criteria for tickets distribution, no matter what or who comes in. Parties have competed with each other in awarding tickets to alleged criminals and goons. Nitish Kumar, who was against the dynastic politics, has preferred to embrace Rahul Gandhi and ‘undisputed kings’ of Yadav clan into his fold, i.e. grand alliance, instead of going solo.

Besides this, the son, the daughter, the brother, the son-in-law factors have also played a pertinent role in ticket distribution in this election, scheduled to be held in next month. From family-run-parties like LJP and RJD to self pro-claimed free from dynastic politics party, the BJP, all have allotted its symbol to close relatives. It was more like a kingdom than democracy. Allocating seats to close or distant relatives just because being at the helm of party affairs betrays the very ethos of democratic set up. There are hell lots of deserving individuals, who can bring a change in socio-politico-economic lives of downtrodden and disadvantaged sections of the society, but have been kept out of race.

Everyone would agree on this point that no one is against the politicians’ kin doing politics or contesting election, provided they come through a proper channel. The dedicated party workers are being sidelined for easy entry of netas’ herd of children. When they go in public to seek votes they say we are fighting against the feudal mindsets and betterment of deprived sections. It exposes their hypocrisy that they are promoting the same thing of what they are fighting against.

The voters need to rise above the castes and religious lines to teach the leaders encourage dynastic politics. Else, monarchy is on way and may reach soon. In the name of castes and religions, they are substituting their kin in the political frame, which is setting wrong precedent before the generation to come. People must reject all those candidates who have made entry in to politics through ‘channel-2’ route. 

Yadav, RJD and Bihar after Lalu's conviction in fodder scam

With the conviction of Rastriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Yadav in a 950 crore fodder scams, the political scenario seems to be taking a new dimension in Bihar. Mr. Yadav, who is still a main force in the Bihar politics, has been sent to jail after a special CBI Court found him guilty of corruption charges. Mr. Yadav initiated his political career under the guidance of freedom fighter Jai Prakash Narayan, won the Patna University Students Union election and got elected as a president and subsequently became the youngest Member of Parliament at the age of 29 in 1977. He was the first student leader who was awarded ticket to contest parliamentary elections from Chhapra in Bihar after withdrawal of emergency. 

In 1990 he assumed the post of Chief Minister after wiping out the congress party from power. He did no developmental work but emphasised on social engineering and formed a MY (Muslim-Yadav) alliance. With the help of this alliance he won 1995 and 2000 assembly elections. In 2005, the BJP-JDU alliance routed his party out from power and established a rule of law with development and social justice. Nitish Kumar-led alliance carved out a group of non powerful extremely backward castes by providing reservation in panchayat polls, bifurcated dalits into two parts by keeping Paswans community out of ambit of maha dalits group. Even while Mr. Yadav was in political exile, the Yadavs’ support base did not erode and stood behind him strongly. Nitish Kumar tried every possible way to bring back this community in their own fold but failed in doing so. As far as forward community is concerned, they are remain at Hidutva side, i.e. BJP, from beginning along with business class. 

After Lalu's conviction, who is to look after the party affairs, would it be family centric or established leaders will take it forward? That is a big question ahead of every political pundit. Would the Yadav community follow other non Yadav leaders or the party will disintegrate further? 

Recently, Rabri Devi, wife of RJD Chief said that she along with her son would run the party, but the question here is, will the senior leaders follow the dictates of mother-son duo or will they

search new opportunity? It is very sure that the Yadav community would oppose to follow any other's leadership, except Lalu's family. Tejashwi, considered to be the next apparent heir of Yadav's dynasty lacks experience and political gestures. Raghuvansh Singh, who is next in line to Lalu in party affairs, has aspiration to lead the party along others but he is reluctant to work under mother-son duo leadership. 

Yadav community, which is politically one of the most powerful castes, has a dark light ahead of upcoming polls. For them, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has become a hard core villain, who politically tried to appease them since he came in power. Bittu Yadav, an IAS aspirant, said they would vote RJD if the party

projects Tejashwi as Lalu's successor else he will look at other non-Nitish options. While on the other hand Sumit Yadav, 45 who lives in village expressed his desire to vote for RJD at any cost as he has no issue with who leads the party. Earlier, such kind of situation was never witnessed. They didn't have any issue with leadership but now the scenario has changed at the ground level. 

Narendra Singh who is at second position after Nitish Kumar in his government asked good leaders of RJD to join JDU and in return the government will offer some lollypop posts or perks. But till now, no leader has shown any inclination towards this offer but still more than 6 months are left in election to take place. 

Conclusively, one can say that once the voice of yadavs', lalu , along with other of his accomplice is now heading towards oblivion. With this development, every party in state trying hard to bank upon this vote bank while RJD trying to intact it. Now, the time will tell, where they will head.