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Anand Mohan relents, agrees to NDA formula

Soroor Ahmed in Patna

It was supposed to be a show of unity, but the notes of dissension were palpable.

Almost all the top brass of the four National Democratic Alliance constituents from Bihar was present at a joint press conference in Patna yesterday.

The Janata Dal (United) was represented by party chief and Union Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav and Union Communications Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. On behalf of the Samata Party were Union Agriculture Minister Nitish Kumar, state party chief Raghunath Jha and state spokesman P K Sinha. And the BJP had almost everyone who matters in the party's Bihar unit: national vice-president Kailashpati Mishra, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Sushil Kumar Modi, state party chief Nand Kishore Yadav, state BJP general secretary Saryu Rai and spokesperson Kiran Ghai.

But it was the presence of the "krantikari yuva" -- or revolutionary youth, to use Kailashpati Mishra's term -- Anand Mohan Singh that came as a bit of a surprise. Till Monday evening, the Bihar People's Party president had been accusing the other NDA constituents of adopting a big-brotherly attitude.

Though the common refrain of the assembled politicians was that "all of us will fight unitedly to wipe out 'jungle raj' from Bihar", some discordant notes were struck.

While Anand Mohan was at pains to explain that he had "sacrificed" his interests at the request of his "elder brothers", he also quipped: "Property distribution mein to problem hota hai. Sab theek ho gaya. Lekin sun lijiye, chhote bhai ko dabaiyega mat. (Distribution of property is never free from problems. Now everything is hunky-dory. But never try to suppress your younger brother)."

Anand Mohan also surprised reporters by denying ever having given an interview to the editor of a Hindi daily on his dispute with the NDA. It was just an off-the-record chat which the editor published as an interview, he said.

Nitish Kumar skirted questions relating to his alleged secret understanding with Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav. Those who are writing so will be dismayed, he said, brushing aside repeated questions by reporters on the matter.

Sushil Modi went on to explain his definition of 'jungle raj' while Kailashpati Mishra said, "We are now united like a chattaan (rock)." Paswan, who did most of the talking, hoped there would be no more disputes. "We quarrel openly and now we are united openly," he quipped.

The communications minister made it clear that NDA candidates still in the fray in violation of the seat-sharing agreement between the four parties would be asked to withdraw or retire. If not, they would be expelled from their respective parties.

Sharad Yadav spoke the least, saying, "Aboli bhi keemti cheez hai (Silence is precious)," leaving everyone wondering what it was that he had left unsaid.

EARLIER REPORT:
Rift in Bihar NDA on ticket distribution growing

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