BJP brings Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav together

PATNA: Archrivals Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad drew closer to each other after RJD on Wednesday announced that it would support JD(U) nominees in by-elections to the two Rajya Sabha seats to be held on Thursday. The development could script a political realignment in Bihar, following the drubbing the two parties received in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

“In today’s political circumstances, communal forces want to capture power with the help of money bag politics. It is stoking dissidence within JD(U) and establish political ascendancy through RS polls,” Prasad said.

While the support of 21 RJD MLAs to the two official JD(U) nominees was expected, the decision gave the impression that he and Kumar have struck some understanding on taking on the resurgent BJP, which was likely to force an early assembly elections. A defeat for the JD(U) nominees in the Rajya Sabha poll scheduled for Thursday would help advance the assembly elections.