(Image source from: Lalu's bail calls for rejig in poll equation})

Lalu Prasad's release on bail is likely to be bad news for Nitish Kumar, the Bihar chief minister who harbours a Lok Sabha dream. Both the BJP and the JD(U) had calculated to be the gainers while RJD breaks in the absence of its chief, Lalu Prasad. In June this year, the BJP and the JD(U) ended their long alliance of 17 years as NDA partners, and had calculated to win more seats in the 2014 general elections, hoping that Lalu's arrest would break RJD's rank and file.

But contrary to their belief, the arrest and jail sentence only worked in favour of Lalu as he won public sympathy. Lalu's bail has challenged poll equations. The Yadavs and Muslims form the stronghold of Lalu's RJD. In Bihar, 15% of the electorates are from Yadav community while the Muslim community form around 13% of the electorate. The Muslim-Yadav combine make up to 28% votes.

In the last LS polls NDA garnered only 37% of the votes. RJD, without the Congress, won 19% of votes, which was only marginally less than JD(U) that bagged 22%. Congress garnered 11% while the LJP managed 4%. This being the scene, the 2014 LS polls is bound to see some upheavel with the RJD in the bandwagon.

(Picture Source: static.dnaindia.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)