After Supreme Court order on Lalu Prasad, Congress observes Nitish Kumar

NEW DELHI: There was a palpable sense of unease in Congress after the Supreme Court ordered RJD chief Lalu Prasad to face trial in four cases related to the fodder scam. Congress is nervous on how the court order will play out in the uneasy ties between ‘image conscious’ Nitish Kumar and Prasad in the long run, amid Kumar receiving ‘ghar wapsi’ call from BJP leaders.

Congress feels the order will weaken Prasad’s position in the balance of power in Bihar and give Kumar the upper hand in the days to come. It also recognises the political contingency of having to defend Prasad and is worried that the taint will gift BJP a plank to discredit it, if not drive a wedge in the Bihar alliance. The party is also worried that the ruling may impact the ongoing Opposition unity efforts on a ‘credible’ anti-BJP plank ahead of the presidential polls. AICC calling off its Monday news conference advertised the party’s nervousness.

The SC order comes at a time when BJP is targeting the Bihar alliance over the ‘Patna mall scam’ and raising questions about ‘mysterious’ sale of properties of two RJD ministers to the Lalu family. Sections in the party feel BJP’s moves are aimed at splitting the alliance between RJD and JDU. The alliance with Prasad has never been a natural one for JDU, a BJP ally for around two decades.

Even though JDU is very active in efforts for uniting Opposition parties against BJP, a section in Congress is suspicious of Kumar after his recent decision to form a JDU-NCP alliance along with Hardik Patel in Gujarat, which may divide the anti-incumbency vote against BJP. Kumar had not long ago also distanced himself from Opposition criticism of demonetisation.

Congress sections also wonder why Kumar, after his projected friendship with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, suddenly fielded JDU candidates in MCDs polls to target ‘Poorvanchali’ population which AAP had been cultivating.

Reports on BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi inviting Kumar to return to his original alliance after the SC order has irritated Congress. “Why should we comment on the BJP gimmick intended to spread misinformation? Why should Nitishji, who has acquired a certain administrative and political standing in the anti-BJP Opposition politics of the country, return to the shadows of Modi,” an AICC functionary asked.

Though JDU leader KC Tyagi reacted to the SC ruling by taking indirect potshots at the Centre by saying “CBI has become too overactive of late”, the Congress camp is aware that when it comes to firming up JDU moves on the Bihar front, it would be done silently by Kumar.