Abdul Qadir | Team TrickyScribe: In an apparently self defeating move, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav has inducted Hena Shahab and her son Osama, from the family of late strongman-turned-Neta Mohammad Shahabuddin, into his party.
This decision is at variance with the party’s somewhat feeble attempts made in recent past by virtually discarding the once profitable MY and image make over to remove the Jungle Raj tag. In public perception Sadhu Yadav, Subhash Yadav and Md Shahabuddin symbolised Jungle Raj.
For a better part of the Lalu – Rabri regime, thanks mainly to the bullying by the trio, lawlessness became the defining characteristic of the then Bihar govt.
While it is unclear whether Lalu directly encouraged criminal activity, there is little evidence of him reining in those aligned with the M-Y (Muslim-Yadav) alliance, aside from exceptions like the Bachchu-Bindi case, driven largely by law enforcement rather than political will. The credit definitely goes to them Gaya DM – SP duo of Rajbala Verma and Sunil Kumar.
The move to bring Shahabuddin’s successors into RJD may alienate its leftist allies, who are crucial to the party’s standing in Bihar.
For the left, figures like Pappu Yadav and Shahabuddin symbolize historical enmity, as the murder of leftist leaders Ajit Sarkar and Chandrashekhar remains painful.
Additionally, the political correctness of “Osama” as a name could also be problematic in the current era of divisive politics. There are Muslim intellectuals who disapprove children being named after likes of Osama and Saddam.
For Tejashwi Yadav, who once promised an “A to Z” brand of politics inclusive of all castes and communities, the induction may signal a return to M-Y alignment, risking the dilution of broader goals.
Lalu’s decision also comes at a time when opposition parties are increasingly cautious of fielding figures with criminal pasts.
Mainstream political parties quite often field criminals with potential winnability to provide muscle to their political limbs. But this induction clearly lacks political correctness. Hena or Osama can, in no way stand proxy for Shahabuddin having ‘dread’ as his political USP. Moreover, criminals and their cronies need patronage in order to thrive and survive and as of now RJD is not in a position to provide the kind of patronage the musclemen need so much.
Notably even in the ensuing bypolls, families of Sunil Pande and Bindi Yadav were field from Tarari and Belaganj respectively by the NDA.
With a non-friendly press and heavy past baggage, however, an out of power Lalu is supposed to exercise extra caution but questionable inductions have placed a big question mark over Lalu’s perceived capability of political pulse reading.
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