The Bihar election now moves on from Lalu Yadav’s controversial beef statement to a sting exposé, released 12 hours before the first phase of polling. The video depicts a top-ranking minister of the Nitish Kumar government, Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha, accepting Rs four lakh as an advance bribe from a ‘Bombay-based firm’ for favours, which he promised on his return to power, and has changed the electoral discourse in the state.
Kushwaha is also the JD(U) candidate from the Pipra Assembly constituency in East Champaran. Soon after the sting video went viral, chief minister and JD(U) boss Nitish Kumar asked him to resign. The party will also withdraw Kushwaha’s candidature and named a fresh candidate for Pipra constituency. But the damage has been done to the JD(U) and the Mahagathbandhan.
The political circles in Bihar are abuzz with two more possible exposes in the pipeline, both involving RJD leaders, one a powerful Yadav minister during the Lalu Yadav-Rabri Devi regime and the other an important leader. Both are contesting these elections in constituencies that are less than 50 km from Patna.
In the video clip, Urban Development and Registration, Excise and Prohibition minister Kushwaha is seen walking to the door, latching it shut, and then making himself comfortable on a sofa. The person handing him bundles of currency notes announces that ‘Chaar lakh hai (its Rs four lakh)’. The minister then makes a call to one of his colleagues saying: ‘Arre, ek Bombay ki party hai, woh kaam kuchh kuchh ho raha hai aur do-chaar-panch mantri log jo ek mansikta ke hai unko chunav me madad karenge aur aane wale dino aap sahyog kariyega.. Hum kal aapko unlog se milwayenge (there is a party from Bombay. Some of their work is in progress. They are saying that they want to help some like-minded ministers in these elections, and expect favours from us in days to come. I will introduce them to you tomorrow)’.
Kushwaha also claims that his actual election expenditure will go up to Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 crore.
While there were some murmurs of such a sting for the past couple of days, the actual timing of the exposé, 12 hours ahead of the first phase of polling in 49 constituencies, was critical. It left Nitish little time to undertake damage control, at least for the first phase. The BJP has already gone to town about it, while Nitish has not said anything as yet.
The exposé also coincided with birth anniversary of Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan. All JD(U)-RJD leaders including Nitish and Lalu claim their political lineage to JP, an iconic leader from Bihar who stood for probity and the fight against the Congress’ corruption and authoritarianism.
The development takes a heavy toll on Nitish’s `sushashan’ (good governance) claim. He will have a difficult time in responding to the BJP’s charge that his prospective Jungle Raj II, if he wins, will have the twin components of criminality and corruption. So far Lalu was allegedly identified with criminality and the Congress with corruption. But the sting has brought corruption charges inside the higher echelons of Nitish’s own party.
It’s not going to be easy for Lalu either. The other exposés involving RJD leaders could come at any time. So far the Mahagathbandhan had shunned the faces of Lalu and Sonia-Rahul Gandhi, and used Nitish’s to claim that it would provide good governance in Bihar. The exposé will change the internal dynamics of the Mahagathbandhan.