With just a week to go before the final deadline to file nominations for Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar continues to keep Union Steel Minister R.C.P. Singh's fate hanging. Mr. Singh is one of the three MPs in the Upper House whose term will end in July. The last date for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections is May 31. The growing chill in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal-United (JD-U) relationship further complicates the situation for Mr. Singh.
Mr. Kumar spent several hours at the party office in Patna on Sunday. On his way out, when the reporters asked him about the impending decision regarding the Rajya Sabha elections, he said, “Don’t worry about that. The announcement will be made at the right time.” Significantly, despite, speculations being rife in Bihar on Mr. Singh’s uncertain future, Mr. Kumar chose not to settle the controversy. Commentators both within and outside the JD(U) claim that Mr. Kumar in the last few weeks has been displaying “withdrawal symptoms” in relation to the BJP. To another question on the latest raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Lalu Prasad Yadav, his daughter Misa Bharati and the family’s residences in Delhi and Patna, Mr. Kumar chose not to launch into a tirade against Mr. Yadav. “Why are you asking me? Those who are conducting the raid may comment,” the CM said.
The political pot in Patna has been on the boil since last month. Mr. Kumar moved out of the Chief Minister's bungalow, 1, Aney Marg, to facilitate renovation. The Chief Minister's 17 cows were also shifted to new accommodation, even though their shed is some distance away from the main building. The previous day, he was seen at the iftar party hosted by Rashtirya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, hobnobbing with Opposition leaders.
