Author: Our Special Correspondent
Publication: The Asian Age
Date: August 31, 2005
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav appears to be depending on the stars to help in the crucial upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
Mr Yadav, a champion of social justice who frowns upon superstition, is planning to consult astrologers on whether his stars are at the right place. According to sources, he told some of his confidants that he has come out of the bad spell of Saturn, but Mars is creating problem. In fact, he is searching for powerful astrologers who would not only predict his fortune correctly but will also guide him to weaken planetary influence in the coming battle of the ballot.
On the other hand, the Congress feedback from Bihar is not enthusiastic. "It is going to be a touch and go battle," viewed a strategist, clearly indicating that the RJD, Congress, and the CPI(M) are not a winning combination. The NCP is tilting towards the RJD, but this will not help Mr Yadav as the NCP has influence in five seats.
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will find it difficult to bring Mr Yadav and his arch-rival Lok Janashakti Party's Ram Vilas Paswan together because her party lacks a base in the state. Moreover, she cannot ensure that the LJP can flourish in the state. Mr Yadav seems to have made up his mind that he would have to fight a three-cornered battle against the "communal" BJP and secular Janata Dal(U), and the grouping of CPI, LJP, CPI(M-L).
The Congress pointsman - AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh - has not given up hope even after having several rounds of meeting with Mr Yadav and Mr Paswan. However, he was unable to break the impasse.
Meanwhile, the LJP on Tuesday charged Mr Yadav with weakening the UPA and ruled out any truck with the party in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. "The UPA has been weakened by Lalu's actions. The RJD president fielded his party candidate against the official nominee of the JMM(S), a UPA constituent, in the recent Rajya Sabha election in Jharkhand, facilitating the victory of NDA's Digvijay Singh," LJP principal general secretary Pashupati Kumar Paras and spokesman Sanjay Singh said in Patna.
The NDA charged Mr Yadav with "being feudal to the core" and said the people would never forgive the RJD leader for doing nothing for them during the past 15 years when his party was in power.
"The manner in which Lalu behaves with people visiting him and his claim that he got Buta Singh appointed as governor of Bihar prove beyond doubt that Lalu is feudal to the core," Bihar JD(U) president Vijendra Prasad Yadav said.