Mixed messages

Three theories — two about mergers and one about an alliance — are doing rounds in Bihar. But those who could play lead roles in the drama about to unfold are either silent or in denial, which is only adding fuel to the fire. The first rumour is about a merger of the Janata Dal (United) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal to counter attempts to poach members by the Bharatiya Janata Party. This gained traction after the RJD national executive held in Delhi authorised Lalu Prasad’s younger son and deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav, to take decisions on symbol or name change. The second theory is regarding the merger of the Lok Janshakti Party led by Chirag Paswan and the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party led by the Union food processing industries minister, Pashupati Kumar Paras. These two parties emerged from a split in the LJP last year, said to be engineered by Nitish Kumar. The BJP now needs them together to effectively counter Nitish in the state. The third rumour is that Nitish is, once again, contemplating switching back to the National Democratic Alliance. “The interesting thing about conspiracy theories is that if there are several floating in the air, there is a strong chance of at least one of them coming true,” a senior Bihar-based politician who has worked with the Congress, the JD(U) and the RJD said.

New game

Naveen Patnaik has realised that despite promoting hockey, he may not have a big say in sports until he has a greater say in cricket administration. Patnaik, who has shied away from taking any role in cricket administration, has now ensured that the Biju Janata Dal’s organisational secretary and member of legislative assembly, Pranab Prakash Das, takes a lead in promoting Odisha cricket in various ways.

The plan is that the BJD would try to enter the Board of Control for Cricket in India and have a greater say in cricket administration. Patnaik went to the Barabati stadium to watch the India-South Africa Twenty20 cricket match and was impressed by the popularity of Sourav Ganguly, the then BCCI chief. Soon after, elections were held for the office bearers of Odisha Cricket Association, paving the way for Patnaik’s own man, Das.

Old promises

Politicians, workers and bureaucrats in Bihar have now nicknamed the CM, Nitish Kumar, as a ‘history book’. This is because he often spends major parts of his speeches, which normally last 40 minutes, talking about the work that he has done in the state during his rule since 2005. “He has become a history book. The common people find this very boring. He should talk about the future, about the development plans. He is behaving like a retired old man, who fondly remembers the days gone by. He should understand that he is the CM,” a close associate of Nitish was heard venting his frustration. People are also trying to find another adjective for him because they noticed that he speaks incomplete, incoherent and unfinished sentences of late. He starts in earnest, but pauses like the former prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and then starts using meaningless syllables and phrases, indulges in some circumlocution and then loses his way altogether.

Mercy plea

The Left Democratic Front convener, EP Jayarajan, has a knack for staying in the news for all the wrong reasons. As the state sports minister, Jayarajan had mourned the death of the boxing great, Muhammad Ali, saying that Ali had won several medals for Kerala. The TV anchor cut the live call before Jayarajan could make any more blunders. With just days to go for the Qatar World Cup, Jayarajan is at it again — this time repeatedly telling a reporter that “Mercy” would win the cup this time, when asked about the footballing great, Lionel Messi.

Second innings

Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party are gearing up to make a mark in the South when Karnataka goes to the polls next summer. But much water has flowed in the Cauvery since the AAP’s maiden effort in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when it roped in the former director of Infosys, V Balakrishnan, and the founder of India’s first low-cost airline, Air Deccan, GR Gopinath. Busy playing the Hindutva card, Kejriwal is no longer the same leader who offered a viable alternative to voters in Karnataka.

Bad publicity

Once Delhi’s pre-eminent party, the Congress is in the news for the wrong reasons. It has included the former Union minister and 1984 riots suspect, Jagdish Tytler, in its election committee for the upcoming municipal polls in the capital. This negative publicity is all the party has got in these polls that is largely a fight between the BJP and the AAP which leads the Delhi government.

Footnote

The Janata Dal (Secular) has conceived a pre-election ‘divine oath’ for all candidates as a bulwark against poaching attempts by the BJP. HD Kumaraswamy had to resign when the JD(S)-Congress coalition government he helmed lost its majority after 17 of its members turned saffron. Ahead of the 2023 state elections, Kumaraswamy has decided to make it mandatory for all candidates to take the divine oath to ensure they don’t fall for enticements by the BJP. He is anticipating the possibility of another Operation Lotus in Karnataka.