Nitish Kumar? Bihar BJP thinks it doesn’t need him anymore

Patna: The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has voiced strong reservations about the possibility of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar’s return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), ThePrint has learnt. Senior state leaders, including state BJP chief Samrat Choudhary and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, flew to Delhi Thursday evening to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

“It is obvious that the JD(U) has initiated talks with the BJP’s top brass on rejoining the NDA, a move most state leaders countered at the meeting,” a BJP leader told ThePrint.

He added the state unit was of the opinion that time was now ripe for the BJP to take on the ruling JD(U)-RJD combine — that of Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav — and prove that it was capable of defeating both. Kumar’s re-entry could also create problems with other NDA allies including Chirag Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha, said the BJP leader.

The state unit, according to the leader, told Shah that there were several factors working in BJP’s favour at the moment: the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the euphoria over the Ram mandir, and central government schemes.

“Amit Shah gave them a patient hearing but did not say anything. Of course, all state BJP leaders will fall in line if the central leadership takes the call,” the leader added.

There is, however, a minority view within the state BJP leadership, which favours Kumar’s entry. They believe that the BJP can now win 28 to 30 Lok Sabha seats in the state with a total of 40 seats. But the influence of Kumar may bump up that number to 35 because of the complete consolidation of the economically backward classes (EBCs), another BJP leader present at the meeting told ThePrint. “It will also deliver a death blow to the INDIA bloc as the man, who initiated its formation, will walk out and into the BJP,” he added.

Nitish Kumar, it is learnt, has been in favour of simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Bihar. But his idea, according to a source, was rejected by coalition partner Lalu Prasad Yadav. BJP sources indicated the party was not in favour of dissolving the assembly, and if Kumar was inducted, he would remain CM sans the home and personnel departments till 2024. The nitty-gritty of the were still being worked out, they maintained.


Also Read: ‘Krishna vs Kansa’ — BJP makes renewed push for elusive Yadav votes after Bihar caste survey


What happens to state govt

The buzz about Nitish Kumar’s possible return was preceded by a series of “enigmatic” moves. It started with his attack on dynastic politics Wednesday as he addressed JD(U) workers on the 100th birth anniversary of former Bihar chief minister and late socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. The central government this week announced a posthumous Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, for Thakur, which Kumar lauded at the meeting. PM Modi came in for special praise from the chief minister.

Kumar then went on to say: “I have never promoted my family members, just like Karpoori Thakur did not. But there are other politicians who promote their families.” This was an apparent dig at alliance partner Lalu Prasad Yadav, whose son Tejashwi Yadav is Kumar’s deputy in the government. Lalu’s eldest son Tej Pratap Yadav is also a minister.

This broadside apparently shook up the Yadavs. Lalu’s Singapore-based daughter Rohini Acharya pushed out three quick posts on X Thursday, taunting “so-called socialist leaders” for changing “their direction like the wind”. The tweets were later deleted.

RJD leaders were soon called to Lalu’s residence while JD(U) men made a beeline to Nitish Kumar’s. By Thursday evening, several news channels began to air the view that Kumar would make another U-turn and join the BJP. Senior BJP leaders, including state party chief Samrat Choudhary, were then summoned to Delhi to meet Amit Shah. Coincidentally, political advisor to the chief minister K.C. Tyagi was also on the same flight. 

To add to the confusion, Nitish Kumar has also not given his word to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that he will join the latter’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which will pass through Bihar’s Purnea on 30 January. 

Nitish Kumar’s health is also being talked about in political circles. At the party programme Wednesday, Kumar was reading out from a written speech — which is unheard of since he almost always speaks extempore. A Jharkhand MLA remarked: “The problem with Nitish Kumar is that even he does not know what he will do next.”

JD(U) leaders bewildered

Nitish Kumar’s moves have bewildered even his own party. A party MLC, who did not wish to be named, said when Kumar makes up his mind to switch sides, there are usually several developments preceding it. 

“JD(U) leaders make derogatory statements against the ally. Like in 2017 (when Kumar allied with the BJP), JD(U) leaders were publicly asking Tejashwi Yadav to explain the chargesheet against him. In 2022 (when Kumar walked out of NDA), JD(U) leaders made public speeches accusing the BJP of sabotaging its candidates in the assembly polls,” he said.

He added that Kumar too becomes incommunicado, noting that nothing of the sort has happened so far. “Neither the JD(U) has made allegations against the RJD nor has RJD indicated they have any problem with Nitish,” he said.

Meanwhile, RJD sources said the speculation about Kumar joining the BJP was a “BJP-controlled media hype”.

“In 2017, there were enough indications that Nitish was leaving us. He became incommunicado by going to Rajgir even as a CBI raid was conducted at Rabri Devi’s residence,” a party leader said. 

Lalu’s man Friday Bhola Yadav told ThePrint that Kumar had a conversation with Lalu as recently as Thursday evening. “There was a meeting on seat sharing. Nitish praising the PM has no meaning. Everybody, including Lalu ji, has approved of Modi’s move on Karpoori Thakur,” he said. 

Several RJD leaders, however, are unsure. “Given Nitish Kumar’s background, he cannot be trusted,” said one.

To add to that, seat-sharing talks in Bihar are still in a limbo. JD(U) has made it clear it will not compromise the 16 seats which it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, as an ally of the BJP. The Congress has demanded eight seats while the Left wants six. 

This has created tremendous pressure on the RJD, which finds it difficult to forgo seats like Madhepura and Jehanabad – its strongholds. There is, therefore, speculation that the tantrums thrown by Nitish Kumar has more to do with retaining seats rather than joining the BJP.

(Edited by Tikli Basu)


Also Read: Bihar BJP is toeing Nitish Kumar’s line on caste now. It’s a win for JDU-RJD before elections


 

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