BJP may gain, Cong plays safe

Already in churning since the JD(U) and BJP parted ways, Bihar will soon see greater political turbulence after Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Yadav was convicted in a slew of fodder scam cases and sent to jail. As the punishment, to be pronounced Thursday, is likely to be over three years, Mr Yadav, once considered Bihar’s strongman, is set to lose his Lok Sabha membership. Political watchers say the BJP is likely to benefit, being the sole claimant of growing popular disenchantment with Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) government. The RJD had hoped to gain from the NDA’s disintegration in the state, but with its leader in jail that looks unlikely. After Rahul Gandhi’s attack on the ordinance intended to save convicted MPs from disqualification, the Congress is not looking at the RJD as a possible ally, and is playing safe, with spokespersons saying the law had “taken its course” and that “they respect the judgment of courts”. There was much speculation earlier about it coming closer to the JD(U).