What’s cooking between Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav? Amid rising tension with BJP

Sejal Raj Sejal Raj May 25, 2022 763 0

What’s cooking between Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav? Amid rising tension with BJP

First the back and forth rendezvous at iftar parties and now the hush-hush meetings. The chief minister and RJD  chief Tejashwi Yadav seem to be forging something behind closed doors. Speculations are arising that Nitish Kumar might part ways with ally BJP at this point,  and we have a few reasons to believe that. 

 

  1. BJP’s disagreement  on the caste-based census 

 

The centre has long opposed the idea of a caste-based census, stating that it is a divisive exercise. While the political parties in Bihar stand firmly together in favour. They believe that a caste-based census will ensure better policies to strengthen the neglected sections of society and lead to better governance. 

Last year, a delegation of prominent politicians from Bihar including Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav met with PM Modi to persuade for a caste census. Later on, PM Modi demolished all their hopes by stating in a BJP meeting that some parties are “trying to divide” the society in the name of casteism. 

 

  1. CBI Raids at Lalu-Rabri’s Residence 

 

CBI raided Rabri Devi's house amidst the round of meetings between Nitish and Tejashwi. There are allegations against Lalu that during his tenure as Railway Minister, he got people to write land in exchange for jobs. In one day, the CBI raided 17 places of Lalu simultaneously.  

Between the frequent meetings of Nitish and Tejashwi, the discussion started gaining momentum about whether Nitish would leave the BJP and form an alliance with the RJD. Because the caste census was not the first time Nitish chose to take a different path from the BJP. Whether it is the matter of loudspeakers or the Uniform Civil Code. Nitish's stand was different from that of the BJP.

 

  1. Ruckus over RCP Singh

 

RCP Singh, considered close to Nitish Kumar, is a minister in the central government.  He has the Ministry of Steel,  the only minister of JDU quota.  RCP Singh is a Rajya Sabha MP  and his term in Parliament is now close to ending.  If not sent to the Rajya Sabha again by JDU, RCP Singh will no longer be an MP after 7 June.  And if RCP Singh wishes to remain a minister in the central government, then it’s crucial for him to go to the Rajya Sabha again.  May 30 is the last date for nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections.  But it is being said that till now Nitish Kumar has not stamped the name of RCP Singh.

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