Click to play videoNew Delhi: If Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is championing the right of the Marathis then politicians from across party lines in Bihar, too, are engaged in a race to fight for their votebank.
Condemning violence against north Indians in Maharashtra allegedly by MNS cadres, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha met the family of Rahul Raj, who was killed in a shootout in a Mumbai public bus, in Patna.
“I have been told that some elements of the Mumbai Police made Rahul Raj pay for his life to get into the good books of the state government,” Sinha said.
Meanwhile, an agitated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, “If this would have happened in Bihar then we would have taken severe action through the legal route.”
It’s the Bihari pride versus Marathi pride. Naturally, when it comes to guarding their votebank, Bihar ministers of the UPA are not reluctant to even criticise their own government.
It is this anger against Raj Thackeray and now Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh which was reflected in the Cabinet meet on Thursday night.
Not just LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan, Congress ministers like HR Bhardwaj, Kapil Sibal and Jaipal Reddy, too, joined in the attack on Vilasrao, expressing dissatisfaction over the probe ordered into the Rahul Raj killing. Many have also demanded a judicial probe.
As general elections draw closer, Bihar politicians are worried that the fire unleashed by the MNS could engulf them.
So, JDU president Sharad Yadav has threatened to resign if strong action is not taken against Raj Thackeray. RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Paswan have made it clear to both Congress chief Sonia and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that it would be difficult for them to continue if they did not get tough on both Raj and Vilasrao.
Meanwhile, some allies like Amar Singh pointed a finger at Congress and the demand for Vilasrao's replacement gained more momentum.
“Raj enjoys patronage from the Congress government,” Amar Singh alleged.
It is these voices which is pushing the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi into a tight corner and increasing the divide within the UPA.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
 |
 |
 |
|
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.