After resigning because the Janata Dal (United)’s nationwide spokesperson on Sunday, the celebration’s basic secretary Ok C Tyagi advised The Indian Specific that he had resigned final yr itself however the celebration requested him to stay within the submit. “This yr once more it appointed me because the spokesperson. It’s a powerful job. I’m accessible from 7 am to 11 pm each day. It’s time for the youthful era to take over,” he mentioned.
Tyagi’s resignation comes within the backdrop of his current articulation of some quite aggressive positions on ideological points pricey to the BJP, in keeping with sources within the JD(U). These statements on sure “delicate points” put the celebration in a tough place throughout the NDA, the sources added.
“He’s a really revered chief of the celebration, however he had began issuing statements with out asking the excessive command concerning the celebration line on points. Lateral entry, UCC and so forth are very delicate points. Sturdy statements issued with out looking for the celebration management’s views can create hassle within the alliance,” a senior JD(U) chief advised The Indian Express.
What additionally labored in opposition to Tyagi was a current joint assertion he issued with Opposition leaders on the Israel-Hamas struggle. “On overseas coverage points, as allies, it’s a norm to go along with the federal government. These are issues of nationwide safety and the Union Authorities takes a place after consideration of quite a lot of elements. It shouldn’t be our concern in any respect. However you’re organising lunches with Opposition leaders on Israel-Palestine battle. Even that’s fantastic so long as it’s achieved in a private capability. However you’re issuing joint statements with the Opposition,” mentioned the JD(U) chief.
The celebration functionary, nonetheless, mentioned there was no stress from the BJP and the choice was taken suo motu by Nitish Kumar.
Solely 10 days in the past, when Lok Janshakti Occasion (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan expressed his reservations a few UPSC commercial soliciting purposes for appointments to high authorities posts by lateral entry — saying his celebration was “completely not in assist” of the transfer — Tyagi went a step additional saying the federal government had given a “weapon within the arms of the Opposition” and the transfer would make “Rahul Gandhi a champion of the depressed courses”.
Whereas Tyagi did articulate the celebration place within the matter — the JD(U) sees itself because the champion of caste census and reservations for Dalits and backward courses — his phrases had been seen as a bit harsh for an ally. An embarrassed authorities was compelled to withdraw the commercial, which Tyagi mentioned was a “victory of social justice politics led by Nitish Kumar”.
Lower than every week later, Tyagi joined the Opposition in articulating the place on the Israel-Hamas battle the place the federal government has been doing a balancing act. Tyagi together with the Samajwadi Party’s Javed Ali organised a lunch for Mohammed Makram Balawi, Secretary Common of the League of Parliamentarians for Al Quds, the place Balawi spoke intimately about Israel’s alleged violation of worldwide legal guidelines by focusing on civilians and claimed greater than half of the victims had been girls and kids.
Following the lunch assembly, a joint assertion asking India to cease the sale of weapons to Israel was issued. It was signed by Tyagi, Ali, and MPs and leaders from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
“We, the undersigned from throughout the political spectrum, unequivocally condemn the continued Zionist aggression and the heinous genocide of the Palestinian folks by Israel. This brutal assault isn’t solely an affront to humanity but additionally a gross violation of worldwide legislation and the ideas of justice and peace,” the leaders mentioned within the joint assertion.
These statements got here at a time when the JD(U) has been attempting to stability asserting itself as a key ally of the BJP in a authorities the place the latter doesn’t have a majority of its personal. The celebration is attempting to be a trusted coalition companion to nook most Central advantages for Bihar forward of the 2025 Meeting polls.
Earlier, on points such because the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Tyagi has articulated a extra forthright place of the JD(U) than different allies.
On August 15, when the PM broached the topic of UCC as soon as once more, Tyagi mentioned the celebration supported UCC however wished a wider session. He mentioned this was a place made clear by Kumar himself in his letter to the Legislation Fee again in 2017. The LJP (RV), however, mentioned it could remark solely after the federal government ready the UCC draft.
On wrestler Vinesh Phogat dropping out on an Olympic medal, Tyagi mentioned he “suspected manipulation as a part of a conspiracy”. This was an echo of the assertion made by former Haryana CM and Congress chief Bhupinder Singh Hooda.
Instantly after the Lok Sabha election outcomes, as talks between NDA allies had been on, Tyagi articulated the JD(U) place on the demand for particular standing for Bihar and the issues with the Agnipath scheme.
“There may be anger amongst voters concerning the scheme. Our celebration needs it to be mentioned threadbare within the authorities to take away its flaws. Though our assist to the NDA is unconditional, we do consider that Bihar should get particular standing. Following the division of the state, the hardship and the issue of unemployment it has confronted can solely be addressed by particular standing to the state,” Tyagi mentioned.