Patna: Though the election has got over in Bihar but the poll mood is yet not over. It is evident from the fact that JDU president Nitish Kumar is taking all the measures to ensure party's presence in neighbouring state West Bengal where assembly poll is due next year.
Party has already announced to field candidates on 75 seats, however, JDU will not make much difference rather playing the role of spoiler for BJP in Bengal.
On Thursday, Nitish who also happens to be the chief minister of the state met several JDU workers from Bengal but did not make any specific remark on Bengal poll like party MLC Gulam Rasool Baliyavi.
In all likelihood, JDU will clear their stand during the national working committee meeting scheduled on 26th and 27th December in the state capital.
It is almost clear that the party has made up its mind to contest the Bengal assembly poll after the official statement of Baliyavi who is also the Bengal incharge of JDU.
“Yesterday also I had said that the Bengal unit of JDU is actively taking part in the poll activities and we have already identified 75 seats. National working committee meeting has already been called and leaders from the other states including Bengal will give their feedback to the national president, “Baliyavi said.
RJD on the other slammed JDU for their decision to contest Bengal poll and outrightly rejected the narrative of the JDU pressurising BJP.
“JDU cannot dare to give any kind of pressure to the BJP. In fact JDU is contesting to help the saffron party. Not only this, JDU also wants to prove that the party is psychophant of BJP, “said senior RJD leader and former minister Shyam Rajak.
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JDU does not have any vote bank in Bengal and looking at the party's track record it has been proved that Nitish's party has performed badly in other states.
But several senior leaders of the JDU claimed that the party will get the benefit in Bengal. They cited many schemes and policies of Nitish's Government like prohibition, social work activities, environmental conservation, seven resolves, good roads in the rural areas which will attract Bengal voters.
BJP, the allies of JDU in Bihar stressed that there would be no impact of JDU in Bengal poll.
“There would be no impact on BJP even hough JDU is contesting an election in Bengal. This time we are going to form the government with full majority, 'said Vivekanand Paswan, BJP spokesperson.
Nitish is trying to take advantage of his scheme prohibition which has already turned out to be the blunder. Home delivery of liquor is the bitter truth in the state. Interestingly, the liquor also makes illegal entry into Bihar from Bengal apart from Jharkhand, Haryana and other states.
As far as the performance of JDU is concerned in other states, the experience is equally bitter. Be it Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh- JDU candidates lost their security deposits and could not even open their account.
Political expert Ajay Jha downplayed JDU's decision by calling it funny.
“Earlier also Nitish Kumar had tried his luck in other states but did not get success. Every party wants to expand their support base and Nitish is doing the same but it's really funny that JDU is contesting on 75 seats in Bengal. The party does not have any vote bank and it would have been better to strengthen the party in Bihar instead of jumping into Bengal poll. It is for sure that JDU will neither harm anyone nor help, “Jha asserted.
Nitish will take the final call on the number of seats during the two days national working committee meeting. However, it would be interesting to see who gets the benefit and who gets humiliated in the Bengal poll in days to come.
