Bihar: RJD chief Lalu Prasad setting agenda for NDA in his home turf?

Bihar: RJD chief Lalu Prasad setting agenda for NDA in his home turf?

PATNA: Is RJD president Lalu Prasad setting the agenda for PM Narendra Modi? Sounds strange but the PM seems to be forced to respond to issues being raised by the RJD chief, adding a new twist to the ongoing political discourse in Bihar ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP faces the challenge to retain the NDA tally of 39 seats (out of total 40) that it won in the last 2019 LS polls.

In a latest development, PM Modi was forced to give a statement that none can dare to change the Indian constitution. “The Congress and its allies are resorting to lies in the name of the Constitution just to abuse me. The NDA respects the Constitution… even Babasaheb Ambedkar can’t change it,” the PM told an election rally in Gaya on Tuesday.

His reaction came barely a day after Lalu talked about alleged conspiracy by the NDA to change the Constitution. “They (BJP) are talking about ‘400 paar’ out of anxiety. And, their leaders are constantly saying that they will change the Constitution,” Lalu told the media on Monday, warning that, “Whoever tries to change the Constitution that safeguards the rights of the poor, backward and dalit communities, will have their eyes gouged out.”

“Quick statement by the PM seems to be an attempt to limit the damage before it hurts much. During the 2015 assembly elections, PM’s delayed response over remarks made by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat regarding the existing reservation policy had brought political disaster for the NDA. Modi looks wiser this time,” political analyst BN Prasad said on Wednesday. Prasad who works with Patna-based AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies said majority of the people might not be aware about the Constitution, but they do know that any change in it could leave their rights in danger.

This was the second time in quick succession that the PM was forced to respond to Lalu’s queries. Last month, Lalu had hit out at PM Modi over “family” shortly after the latter had fired salvos over “dynastic rule” in the opposition camp.

“What can we do if Narendra Modi does not have a family of his own?” Lalu had mocked, addressing a rally in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. Modi quickly responded by stating that the people of the nation consider him as their family. “140 crore people of this country are my family,” was how the PM had said, addressing a rally at Adilabad in Telangana on March 4.

If that was not enough, the BJP leaders and its allies instantly went on describing Modi as their family as the tagline “Modi Ka Parivar” began trending on X. The identical update in the profile of BJP leaders reminded similar changes before the 2019 LS polls when the Union ministers prefixed “Chowkidar” to their profiles on Twitter (now X).

“Generally, it’s the NDA which sets the agenda for others but in Bihar, it is Lalu who has done this for NDA and the latter is forced to respond,” political analyst Prof NK Choudhary commented, adding “Lalu is constantly trying to drag Modi on to his pitch”. The NDA is forced to respond since he is the only powerful force from the opposition camp.

The NDA which includes BJP, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), HAM(S), Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and RLJP is locked in a straight fight with the Grand Alliance comprising the RJD, Congress, CPI-ML, CPI, CPIM and VIP in Bihar.

In the last LS polls, the NDA was able to win 39 seats out of the state’s total 40. Now the NDA faces the challenge to retain its tally with top leaders such as PM Modi, home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh and UP CM Yogi Adityanath focussing their attention on Bihar even after getting JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar to its side.

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