The schism in the RJD has acquired a nasty dimension and dynamics. It is mainly based on personal line than the political contour. Some leaders are even not on talking terms. In absence of Lalu senior leaders are quite confused of the political line they should pursue.

Though the leaders and cadres nurse the view that Lalu has yet not lost his relevance, the manner in which the party is functioning presents a bleak future. Most of the leaders confess that collapse the party was facing owes primarily to the family feud. Accusing fingers are not only being directed towards Tejashvi, even Misha Bharati the daughter and Tej Pratap, the elder son of Lalu Yadav are at the target of the rebels. None had ever imagined that RJD the pocket organization of Lalu would face such nature of degeneration after its debacle in the Lok Sabha election.

The three men fact finding committee headed by senior leader Jagdanand Singh has blamed the leadership of losing the trust of the support base of the party. The committee underlined that while Dalits and extremely backward castes adopted an indifferent attitude towards the RJD candidates, the Yadavs, the core support base of the party did not show enthusiasm to ensure the victory of the candidates as a result a majority of candidates belonging to Yadav community lost the election. The other two members of the committee were the general secretary, Alok Mehta and senior leader Abdul Bari Sidiqui.

Some dalit and backward leaders joining the mahagathbandhan could not motivate the common dalits and extremely backward castes voters. A feeling gripped them that the party was for promoting the interest of Yadavs only. No serious effort was made by the leaders of the allies to reach collectively to the voters. Yadavs disgusted with the family feud preferred to keep away from voting. Yet another factor that marred the electoral prospect of the RJD was the opposition of the RJD top leaders’ to the NDA giving 10 per cent reservation to the poor from upper castes simply backfired.

Meanwhile rumours are agog in the political circle that the BJP is working out a mechanism to woo this vote bank, around 16 per cent of Bihar’s population, in its fold. The BJP Chanakya, Amit Shah in talk with the Bihari Chanakya Nitish is evolving the methodology to give a shape to the strategy.

Just after announcement of Lok Sabha results, when the preliminary exercise was being done on induction of ministers from the allies, Nitish had met Shah for staking claims for the ministerial berths. During that meeting Shah had suggested him to look for broader pasture than confining to one or two berths. He told Nitish to concentrate on OBC and EBC vote banks while the BJP will work to bring in Yadavs into its fold. Since Nitish has an antagonistic relation with the Yadavs he could not accomplish this task.

For Lalu the defeat at the 2019 Lok Sabha election was more intense than being incarcerated in fodder scam. Defeat has come as a rude shock to the person who dictated the political discourse of the state for nearly four decades. Lalu could not withstand the shock that his RJD drew a blank in Bihar.

Even during the "Modi wave" of 2014, RJD had managed to win four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. In 2015 assembly election, RJD in alliance with JD(U) and Congress emerged as the single largest party with 80 MLAs. Little doubt the defeat 2019 symbolises the end of Lalu Yadav era in Bihar politics. Nevertheless if Amit Shah succeeds in giving a shape to his design, it is obvious that it would be the end of Lalu era. (IPA Service)