Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address in Gaya provoked a political jolt when two legislators from the Rashtriya Janata Dal—Vibha Devi, representing Nawada, and Prakash Veer, representing Rajauli—appeared on his dais, seated in the back row. Their attendance, during a rally marked by the inauguration of development projects worth over ₹13,000 crore and sharp criticism of the RJD, sent ripples through Bihar’s political landscape. The presence of these two MLAs amid pointed rhetoric against their party cultivated speculation of an imminent political realignment.
Further intensifying the controversy, the RJD quickly expelled both legislators, branding their appearance alongside the Prime Minister as an act of betrayal. This swift disciplinary move underlines the party’s insistence on strict internal loyalty, especially in a tense pre-election atmosphere.
Vibha Devi’s husband, Raj Ballabh Yadav—a former MLA—was acquitted by the Patna High Court in a POCSO case after spending years in jail. His legal vindication has reportedly heightened his political ambitions, concurrently contributing to dissatisfaction within party ranks following a denied ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His family’s frustration may have influenced Vibha Devi’s actions.
Prakash Veer, a two-time MLA since 2015, commands the Rajauli constituency, nestled in Nawada district. He secured a comfortable victory both in 2015 and 2020. His continued presence on the RJD ticket had been uncertain ahead of the upcoming polls, raising questions about internal selection dynamics.
At the rally itself, Prime Minister Modi lambasted what he labelled as the RJD’s “lantern era”, accusing its governance of corruption and stagnation, while positioning his own administration’s development push as the direct antidote.
Political analysts view the attendance of the two legislators on that stage as more than a mere gesture—it may signal deeper ideological shifts. Some suggest it could herald the beginnings of defections to the National Democratic Alliance, altering campaign math in tightly contested constituencies. The BJP, however, downplayed such interpretations, insisting that invitations were extended to all legislators irrespective of party alignments, and that ambivalent perceptions should not be hastily construed as defection.
This episode unfolds amid a charged electoral backdrop: Bihar’s assembly polls are imminent, with key themes from unemployment and caste-based measures to voter roll controversies dominating discourse. The INDIA bloc, led by the RJD, is countering with a narrative rooted in anti-incumbency, while the NDA emphasises development and governance credentials.
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