But all this still remains wishful thinking. Till the other day, Lalu Prasad and Paswan were criticising Nitish Kumar for the resignation of the five Janata Dal (United) MPs from the Lok Sabha. And the Bihar CM was rebuking the two Union leaders for not doing justice to their authority by bringing pressure to bear on the Central government. In fact, the Bihar deputy CM, Sushil Modi, had admitted that all-party unity would not last in Bihar.

What they need to learn and remember is that bipartisanship is indispensable in times of crisis and certainly makes life easier at most other times. The opposition is no less responsible in a democratic set-up. That responsibility is to undertake constructive criticism and to offer help and advice. Interestingly, at the moment, the JD(U) runs Bihar but happens to be in the opposition at the Centre. It is the other way round for the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Lok Janshakti Party. Perhaps, the three have realised that this visible co-operation is just what the people of Bihar, their constituents, are calling for. That’s so much for the better, since power derives from the people. It is their call to not fail their electorate.