Nitish Kumar breaks ranks with allies for Ram Nath Kovind

Singing a different tune from its allies, Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, has extended its support to former governor Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA nominee for the next President of India.

The announcement made by party's general secretary KC Tyagi on Wednesday evening comes as a major blow to the Congress-led Opposition who will meet on Thursday to discuss the July 17 Presidential polls. The JD-U has also decided to keep away from the meet.

Kumar's move is a reminder of 2012, when he had broken ranks with the then ally BJP and supported Congress candidate Pranab Mukherjee for the top post.

"Kovind had a superb tenure as the governor of Bihar. He kept away from any conspiracy or controversy… we still remember the days of Buta Singh (when President's rule was imposed in Bihar). But Kovind has always maintained the dignity of his post," Tyagi told reporters while pledging his support to Kovind.

Earlier throughout the day, JD-U President Kumar interacted with party MLAs to know their views on the matter. The interactions were followed by party's core-committee meeting, which was chaired by Kumar and attended by former JD-U Chief Sharad Yadav, MP RCP Singh, Bihar Planning and Development Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh, state JD-U President Bashishtha Narayan Singh and Tyagi.

When asked about JD-U's participation in Thursday's Opposition meeting in Delhi, Tyagi said, "After announcing our support for Kovind, there is no point in attending it."

JD-U's decision has once again brought it at loggerheads with its allies RJD and Congress, with whom it runs the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. The RJD has already said it is not in favour of Kovind. (I think they had welcomed JDU's decision, please check) "We will go with whatever decision is taken by Opposition parties on Thursday," RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav said and feigned ignorance about JD-U's decision.

This is not the first time that difference of opinions have come to the fore in the grand alliance as the JD-U had backed PM Narendra Modi on demonetisation against the wishes of the RJD.

On Wednesday, Tyagi clarified it was a one-time decision and the party will keep striving for Opposition unity in future. "Our leader has already conveyed his observations to Lalu ji and Sonia ji. This decision will not have any effect on the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar," he said.

Political experts said JD-U backing Kovind was unlikely to have any fallout on the coalition government in Bihar, even though the RJD and Congress will be miffed with Kumar. "It is an alliance of convenience for both Yadav and Kumar. Yadav, who is currently under scanner over alleged Benami property deals, will not dare to break the alliance," he said.

Sources said the JD-U had called its meeting a day before the Congress as it did not want to face "the dilemma of choosing between Kovind, with whom Kumar has cordial relations and a likely Dalit face from Bihar."