The implications for BJP can be significant, the public spat between Rudy and Dubey revealed the tensions within BJP’s own ranks, how the senior BJP leadership is viewing it is anyone’s guess
BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy is no stranger to Bihar’s shifting political sands, but this poll’ season Saran MP seems to be trying a new reinvention. On the ground in Saran, he reportedly rallied his Rajput community with the slogan of “Jai Sanga” to give it a distinct identity. The slogans were also heard in Delhi, after he weathered a fierce contest against Sanjeev Balyan for retaining control of the prestigious Constitution Club of India (CCI)
Together, these moves sketch out a politician preparing both for the street battles of Bihar and the corridors of Lutyens’ Delhi. Rudy is trying to position himself as indispensable—a leader of Bihar’s Rajputs and around someone politicians across the party lines can rally. At the same time, the events also seem to be signalling a divide in the BJP, which no party leader will publicly acknowledge, obviously
At a gathering in Ekma during his Rana Sanga Yatra, Rudy was quoted as saying: “Other castes have leaders—Yadavs have Lalu, Kurmis have Nitish, Dalits have Paswan—but Rajputs have none,” he said appealing to supporters not to vote for any party “without a guarantee of work” and asked each Rajput to spread his message to three others daily for the next six months.
Caste politics
Rudy is someone who has never done this, despite caste being the organising principle of politics in Bihar. By invoking Rana Sanga, he is offering Rajputs both pride and direction, hoping to emerge as their undisputed face within the NDA coalition.
But Rudy’s maneuvering is not limited to Bihar. In August, he defeated Sanjeev Balyan in the CCI election for Secretary (Administration), winning by about 100 votes with support from both BJP colleagues and opposition MPs. The contest, ostensibly about club management, quickly became a proxy for influence within Parliament. Balyan later complained that opposition MPs had rallied behind Rudy, while Rudy countered that his victory was proof of his ability to deliver across party lines.
Nishikant Dubey angle
There was another controversy surrounding fellow BJP MP Nishikant Dubey who supported Balyan—Rudy’s opponent—in the Constitution Club election. Rudy reportedly claimed that Dubey was not asked by, nor had blessings from, BJP leadership to oppose him and accused him of “arrogance.” Rudy did not stop there, according to reports, he also alleged that Dubey behaves in Parliament as if he is running his own “government” separate from the actual government—one in which senior leaders like him have no role.
The public spat revealed the tensions within BJP’s own ranks, even as Rudy sought to present himself as someone who is trusted beyond party lines.
Bihar—what next
The implications for Bihar can be significant.
Rudy’s Rajput gambit is meant to give him a loyal caste base comparable to Nitish Kumar’s Kurmis, Lalu Prasad’s Yadavs, and the Paswan family’s Dalits. His CCI victory strengthens his claim as a leader with clout in Delhi, yet there may be risks—”Jai Sanga” may be perceived as sidelining the BJP’s Hindutva plank. Still, Rudy is betting that in Bihar’s caste-driven chessboard, the time has come for Rajputs to speak in one voice—and that he should be the one leading them.
How this works for him and BJP in Bihar’s shifting political sands remains to be seen but the latest tussle within the BJP has once again brought the party’s internal politics into the spotlight. . For the party leadership, the situation is particularly challenging at a time when the BJP is trying to strengthen its strategy in states like Bihar and Jharkhand.
