Hop, Skip, Slip

ON 12 February 1994, streets of Patna were jam-packed with people from the countryside.

- Umesh Kumar Ray

They all belonged to the Kurmi caste and were heading to the Kurmi Chetna Maha Rally at the historic Gandhi Maidan. This was perhaps the first such massive mobilisation of the Kurmi caste, which is just 4 per cent of Bihar’s population.

In a government bungalow in Chhajju Bagh, just 1.5 km away from Gandhi Maidan, sat Nitish Kumar, who belongs to the same caste. He was in a doubtful state of mind due to his marginalised political status in the Janata Dal. Nitish’s man Lalan Singh alias Rajiv Ranjan Singh had been badly humiliated two years ago when he, along with other leaders, went to meet Lalu Prasad Yadav at Bihar Bhawan in New Delhi. Sankarshan Thakur noted in his book Bandhu Bihari, “This incident had infuriated Nitish Kumar. He left Bihar Bhawan murmuring, ‘Ab saath chal pana mushkil hai (now it is difficult to stay together).’” 

The 12 February rally turned out to be a boon for Nitish. The rally was against the Lalu Yadav government and Nitish Kumar’s participation in it meant a rebellion against his own party as both were leaders of the Janata Dal. It was also unethical for Nitish Kumar to be a leader of a particular caste. So he was unsure about going to the rally. But after many of his colleagues insisted he attend it, Nitish finally headed there. On stage, he declared loud and clear: “Bheekh nahi hissedari chahiye (we need a share, not alms). A government which ignores our interests cannot remain in power.”