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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s party Janata Dal United (JDU) has always been known in political circles for its disciplined working style, organizational unity and strict adherence to party rules. But the political developments in the state and the situation within the party for some time now have sparked a heated debate within JDU regarding the ‘new game of discipline’ and double standards. The rebellious attitude, ignorance of rules and statements of senior leaders on various forums within the party have created a new headache in front of the top leadership. Political analysts believe that as the electoral equations and political circumstances in the state are changing, the definition of the party’s internal relationships and discipline is also becoming blurred. In such a situation, the question has become common whether the central leadership of JDU is now feeling uncomfortable in cracking down on its strong and powerful leaders or whether some big political strategy is brewing inside.
Anant Singh’s attitude and discussions about moving away from the party line attracted everyone’s attention.
The biggest name at the center of this entire incident is that of Mokama area’s strongman and popular MLA Anant Singh, whose recent political steps and statements have increased the problems of the party. Choosing a different path by going against the official candidates and decisions within the party and challenging the rules set by one’s own party through public platforms has become the main topic of discussion. Experts say that when a public representative openly takes a stand against the working style of the party or its authorized candidates, then generally there is a provision for immediate disciplinary action against him in any political party. Despite this, the way different reactions are being seen within the party in these cases, it has raised a question in the minds of the workers and the general public whether the standards of discipline are different for big faces in the party. This rebellious style of Anant Singh has left the party’s disciplinary committee and top strategists confused as to how to deal with this situation so that the credibility of the organization is maintained and political profit and loss can also be avoided.
Controversy arising out of Maheshwar Hazari’s cases and statements, is double standards going on in the party?
Another big name Maheshwar Hazari is also joining this internal tussle and debate on discipline, whose political actions and statements have intensified the murmur within the party. It has become a common discussion within the party that while on the one hand small workers or ordinary MLAs are immediately asked for clarification in case of even the slightest mistake, on the other hand a lenient approach is adopted in the matters of big and influential leaders. The situations involving Maheshwar Hazari and other leaders have fueled debate within the party whether the top leadership of JDU is turning a blind eye to matters of discipline in the name of maintaining internal balance. Political experts also say that this type of internal dissonance affects the morale of the party’s grassroots workers, who work hard day and night to strengthen the organization. When two different standards of justice and discipline start appearing within the party, then the opposition parties also get a big opportunity to attack the government and the organization, which is sure to have an impact on the election preparations in the coming days.
A big test to save the party’s credibility and deal with upcoming political challenges.
Amidst all these internal disputes, rebellious voices and double standards, the biggest challenge before the national and provincial leadership of JDU is to preserve the disciplined image of the party. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has always maintained that he has never made any compromise in matters of corruption and indiscipline, and these new questions arising within the party are severely testing his policy. In the coming time, it will be very interesting to see what strict action the party leadership takes in the cases of these prominent leaders or whether they ignore them and choose the path of mutual compromise. If these dissatisfactions and cases of indiscipline are not controlled in time, then this internal discord can become a canker for the party which can hollow the organization from within. Ultimately, only time will decide how this ‘new game of discipline’ of JDU will play out in this era of Bihar politics, but at the moment these questions have increased the heat in the political circles even more.