JD(U) split open, yet to be formally announced

When Nitish Kumar broke away from the NDA, he called a meeting of the National Executive and consulted everyone. But this time when he chose to re-align with the NDA, he took the overnight decision in person, unilaterally, arbitrarily and without consulting anyone, pointed out suspended deputy leader of the Janata Dal(U) parliamentary party and Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar on Saturday.

He declared that there was no question of him leaving the party. Conceding that the JD(U) has virtually split into two, he described the Nitish Kumar faction as the ‘Sarkari JD(U)’ and echoed Sharad Yadav while saying that their faction would represent the people and the workers.

Calling for a people’s movement, the MP said that the threat to the nation was grave and people would have to come together to resist fascist forces. He and several other leaders of the erstwhile JD(U) would undertake a nation-wide tour to explain their stand and to unite like-minded people. The focus, he said, would be the universities, Ambedkar hostels and the youth.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had made the JD(U) irrelevant in national politics and lost out on a great opportunity, he felt. The JD(U) could potentially have emerged as a rallying point for the Opposition in 2019 and could have challenged the BJP. But in one stroke, Nitish Kumar, he alleged, had put an end to the possibility.

“Now that Nitishji consults the BJP before taking decisions, there is no point for us in attending the National Council meeting,” he added with a hint of sarcasm.

Sharad Yadav and other like-minded workers and leaders, he declared, would be attending the ‘Saajhi Virasat bachao’ conclave in New Delhi on August 17 before beginning their own consultations with workers and people.