File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
The grand alliance of six parties intended to block the BJP from winning Bihar appears jittery. And it hasn't even launched yet.
At a Delhi meeting of the different partners, a prime player - Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar - was missing, despite being in the capital. Aides said he was recovering from an eye surgery.
A proposal made in his absence may have been tough to moot if he were present - Lalu Yadav, regional powerhouse, suggested that the Janata Parivaar alliance extend an invite to Jitan Ram Manjhi.
When Mr Kumar quit office after his party's lean performance in the national election last year, he picked Mr Manjhi to replace him. The problem was that when Mr Kumar decided to return as Chief Minister, Mr Manjhi refused to cooperate and was finally expelled from their party, the Janata Dal United.
Mr Manjhi has since formed his own party and given every indication that he will seek to partner with the BJP, so there's a slim-to-none chance that Lalu's suggestion was innocent. In fact, sources in all parties of the Janta Parivar claim that their leaders have placed the union on hold.
The election in Bihar, which will be staggered, is likely to commence in mid-September.
Today's meeting with Lalu was attended by the chief of Mr Kumar's party, Sharad Yadav, and Mulayam Singh Yadav who heads the Samajwadi Party.
Sources say that Mr Kumar and Sharad Yadav wanted the alliance finalised urgently because they feel their party alone cannot combat the BJP and the current popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, they distrust Lalu, who brokered peace recently with Mr Kumar after a lengthy feud, and has demonstrated an interest in ensuring Mr Kumar is not projected as the alliance's Chief Minsterial candidate. And Mulayam Singh Yadav, whose party governs Uttar Pradesh and is the 13th largest in Parliament, has allegedly decided that the alliance will offer him no gains.
Lalu said "I have no differences with anybody" when asked about reports of behind-the-scenes sniping with Mr Kumar.