'We will be happy if Nitishji becomes convenor of INDIA.'
Shakti Singh Yadav, the Rashtriya Janata Dal's chief spokesman, is considered close to Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
From early morning to late night, he spends time with Tejashwi or RJD founder Lalu Prasad Yadav, crafting the RJD's reactions to events, policies and statements.
Shakti Singh Yadav lost the election for the Hilsa assembly seat in the 2020 election by 12 votes. Five years earlier, in the 2015 election, he was elected from Hilsa, which is located in Nalanda, Janata Dal-United President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's home district.
Political circles in Patna are abuzz with speculation that all is not well in the state's ruling Mahagathbandan and differences are growing between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav.
While there were rumours last week that Nitish Kumar may return to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, which he abandoned in August 2022, these have ebbed after he was elected JD-U president on December 29, clearing the way for his appointment as convenor of the INDIA bloc.
"Ram resides in our hearts and is part of our soul. This is not something to display in public for political benefit. We are devotees and followers of the real Ram, not of Nathuram who killed Mahatma Gandhi," Shakti Singh Yadav tells M I Khan.
Is everything okay in the Mahagathbandan in Bihar? Reports suggest that tension is brewing between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav, and their parties.
There is no such thing. We are totally united. The Mahagathbandhan is stable and intact.
This is part of an effort to establish a hypothetical perception about us.
Some cooked up stories were planted by certain platforms. We have noticed that certain media is also involved to create an impression that differences are growing and tension is brewing between the RJD and JD-U.
This is to send out a message that the Mahagathbandhan is unstable.
This is not new. Soon after the Mahagathbandan government was formed in August 2022, BJP leaders and certain media were trying to create an image that this ruling coalition would not last long.
Laluji and Nitishji disappointed them time and again.
Thanks to Laluji and Nitishji, for the first time in the country a caste survey was conducted in Bihar and its report was released to the public.
After that, the Mahagathbandan government increased reservation. The high court and apex court vindicated our stand on the caste survey.
The BJP-led central government publicly refused to conduct a caste census in the country. BJP and RSS leaders have opposed the caste census.
The Mahagathbandhan government is committed to fulfilling its promises including 10 lakh government jobs to youth.
The government recently appointed more than 1.5 lakh school teachers and more teachers will be appointed soon.
The government has given employee status to 3.5 lakh contractual school teachers.
The BJP is afraid because it has forgotten to provide 2 crore jobs per year and to ensure Achche Din.
The RJD and JD-U are busy preparing to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.
Nitish Kumar neither visited Lalu Yadav to greet him for the new year nor did he wish Rabri Devi on her birthday on January 1.
Tejashwi Yadav also did not visit Nitish to greet him for new year.
Till a month ago, both Nitish and Lalu enjoyed a warm relationship and were visiting and talking to each other regularly.
Nitishji greeted Laluji and Rabriji on the telephone on new year. Nitishji and Laluji spoke to each other and shared their wishes for each other.
As is known to all, Nitishji visits his native village Kalyanbigha in Nalanda district on January 1 for several years to pay tribute to his mother.
He was busy so he could not visit Laluji; as far as Tejashwiji is concerned, he was not well on January 1.
There is no naaraazgi between them or between the RJD and JD-U. The Mahagathbandhan government led by Nitishji is running smoothly.
Reports say Nitish Kumar is set to become the INDIA convenor. Will the RJD welcome it?
We will be happy if Nitishji becomes convenor of INDIA. Laluji, Nitishji and Tejashwiji played an important role to unite the Opposition and together worked hard to shape INDIA.
Nitishji is leader of the Mahagathbandhan, he has vast experience working at the Centre and in the state.
Nitishji has long experience to manage and run coalitions.
Both Laluji and Nitishji are seasoned politicians who are committed to social justice. They are product of the jan andolan (Jayaprakash Narayan's movement in the mid-1970s).
Laluji is widely known for his social revolution in Bihar that inspired and motivated others to follow and replicate him.
BJP ally Upendra Kushwaha, president of the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal, claims Lalu Yadav wants to replace Nitish Kumar as CM by Tejashwi, and that if Nitish does not agree to this, Lalu will plot against him.
Upendra Kushwaha is not a leader, we hardly accept him as a politician. He is himself on the margins and struggling to make the BJP happy by issuing statements.
Kushwaha is doing all this to get at least one Lok Sabha seat from the BJP this time.
Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi predicted last month that Lallan Singh would be removed as JD-U president, that Nitish Kumar would become party president, that Lalu Yadav is set to play a major game against Nitish and that Nitish will not last long as CM.
Sushil Modi is a BJP leader who has been totally sidelined in his party.
We call Sushil Modi 'Afwah Miya' (Rumour Man) because he has no work but to spread lies, misinformation and rumours.
All this to keep himself alive in the media and to create an impression that he still matters in his party.
Will Lalu and Tejashwi attend the consecration of the Ram temple if they are invited?
Laluji is committed to dharam and like a true Hindu, he visits temples. He respects and honours all other religions.
Every temple has its own significance and importance.
Ram is ours, we accept Ram as a model of compassion, tolerance and love. We follow Hey Ram and Jai Siya Ram.
Ram resides in our hearts and is part of our soul. This is not something to display in public for political benefit.
We are devotees and followers of the real Ram, not of Nathuram who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whose last words were 'Hey Ram'.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
