The political landscape of Bihar is speculated to change again very soon. It is being said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will break the RJD-JDU alliance to join hands with the BJP once again before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It seems unlikely that the Maha Gathbandhan government led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will continue in Bihar. It is speculated that Nitish Kumar will take oath as CM of JD(U)-BJP govt with Sushil Modi as the deputy CM on Sunday.
Indicating that BJP was ready to welcome Nitish Kumar back, Sushil Modi made a significant comment by saying that “Doors never close in politics,” adding that doors that are closed can opened and that politics is a “game of possibilities”. Talking about the issue, BJP leader Giriraj Singh said that the central leadership will decide about it.
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance has also called Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas) chief and Jamui MP Chirag Paswan to Delhi. According to reports, Chirag Paswan will attend the NDA meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Along with this, BJP National President JP Nadda and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold important talks.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Thursday night described his meeting with former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi as an informal meeting. But, now Jitan Ram Manjhi has said that the Grand Alliance government led by Nitish Kumar in Bihar is over. He said that Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav wants to make his son Tejashwi Yadav the chief minister of the state and Nitish Kumar is not going to let it happen. He added that Nitish Kumar should come back in the NDA.
खेला चालू है…बिहार परिवर्तन के ओर अग्रसर…
— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) January 25, 2024
जो भी होगा राज्यहित में होगा…@aajtak pic.twitter.com/ikOyjQ18Wb
He also posted from his X handle, “Will it be done today only? Khela – else what?”
आज ही हो जाएगा का जी?
— Jitan Ram Manjhi (@jitanrmanjhi) January 26, 2024
खेला आउर का…
However, Bihar JD(U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha has denied these speculations and said “these are rumours spread by those with some agenda”. “All is well in Bihar’s ruling Mahagathbandhan and the media speculations are driven by some agenda,” he said. “We are firmly with opposition bloc INDIA but would like Congress to do introspection on alliance and seat sharing,” Kushwaha further added. He further said, “There is no truth in the rumours doing the rounds. We also reject the rumours that party MLAs have been asked to rush to Patna”.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the announcement of Bharat Ratna for Karpuri Thakur and then the Chief Minister’s attack on the dynastic politics started a fresh episode of political turmoil in Bihar. Nitish Kumar posted on X, “It is a matter of great pleasure to give the country’s highest honour’ Bharat Ratna’ to former Chief Minister and great socialist leader Late Karpuri Thakur ji. This is a good decision by the Central Government. This highest honour given to Late Karpoori Thakur Ji on his 100th birth anniversary will create positive sentiments among the Dalits, deprived and neglected sections. We have always been demanding to give ‘Bharat Ratna’ to the Late Karpuri Thakur ji. The years-old demand has been fulfilled today. Thanks to Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for this.”
पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री और महान समाजवादी नेता स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को देश का सर्वोच्च सम्मान ‘भारत रत्न’ दिया जाना हार्दिक प्रसन्नता का विषय है। केंद्र सरकार का यह अच्छा निर्णय है। स्व॰ कर्पूरी ठाकुर जी को उनकी 100वीं जयंती पर दिया जाने वाला यह सर्वोच्च सम्मान दलितों, वंचितों और…
— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) January 23, 2024
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya fueled the fire by making personal comments on Nitish Kumar. She shared three posts on X and later deleted them. In these posts, she wrote, “He promises to be a socialist leader, whose ideology changes like the winds. What will happen by getting annoyed when no one is worthy of himself? Who can avoid fate when there is a fault in one’s own intention? Often some people do not see their shortcomings, but keep misbehaving to throw mud on someone else.”
Nitish Kumar said on the occasion of Jannayak Karpuri Thakur’s birth centenary celebrations on Wednesday, “Karpuri Thakur never pushed his family forward. Taking inspiration from him, I also did not take any person in my family ahead in politics. It was only after the death of Karpuri Thakur that his son Ramnath Thakur came ahead. But today, people take dynasties forward. I believe in working. I continue to work in the interest of the state. We will do whatever is required for the interest of the state.”
The sudden stoppage of press briefings and stalling of communiques after Thursday’s cabinet meeting has also fuelled speculation. The cabinet meeting also lasted only 15 minutes and CM Nitish Kumar went ahead without talking to Tejashwi Yadav. Then deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav’s absence from the high tea ceremony attended by Nitish on the occasion of the Republic Day also added fuel to the fire.
Chirag Paswan held a meeting with LJP (Ram Vilas) leaders at his residence. Chirag said during the interaction with the media that the next 24 hours are crucial. Top leaders of Bihar BJP are already in Delhi. On Thursday night, Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting with big leaders of Bihar. The meeting lasted for about an hour and a half. Vinod Tawde was also present at this meeting. After the meeting, top BJP leaders said it was a routine meeting.
Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, “In Thursday night’s meeting, the strategy for the Lok Sabha elections was discussed. As far as Nitish Kumar or JDU is concerned, the doors in politics are not always closed, if the door is closed then it can also open. Politics is a game of possibilities, anything can happen. Whatever decision will be taken by the central leadership will be acceptable.” According to reports, the BJP is ready to form government in Bihar with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and other parties in the NDA. It is also speculated that Sushil Kumar Modi may become deputy chief minister.
Meanwhile, the RJD has sought clarity from Nitish Kumar over the speculations. “We haven’t made a single statement to hint at any rift. I humbly urge the chief minister, who must also be watching all the media coverage, to clear the confusion which has been doing the rounds for the last few days,” RJD MP Manoj Jha said.
Nitish Kumar has been oscillating literally like a pendulum between BJP and RJD, forming govt with both parties multiple times, earning him the nickname “Paltu Ram” of Bihar. Originally a Janata Dal member, Kumar formed Samata Party in 1994 along with George Fernandez, and was a union minister in the NDA govt led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In 2005, NDA won Bihar elections and Nitish Kumar became the CM, now leader of JD(U) after the merger of the Samata Party with Janata Dal led by Sharad Yadav. He was elected in 2010, but he broke the alliance in 2013, unhappy over BJP naming Narendra Modi as the PM candidate for the 2014 general elections. He formed the Mahagathbandhan with Congress and RJD. He resigned in 2014 after his party lost badly in Lok Sabha elections, and Jitan Ram Manjhi was made the CM. However, Nitish Kumar made a comeback in 2015 and became the CM again.
The Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) won the assembly poll in 2015, but in 2017, Nitish Kumar left the alliance and rejoined NDA, remaining the CM. The NDA govt was elected in the 2020 elections, but with a much narrow margin. JD(U) won 43 seats against 74 won by BJP, but Kumar was made the CM again. In August 2022, Nitish Kumar left the NDA again, rejoining the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and UPA.
However, things turned sour after the formation of I.N.D.I. Alliance of non-NDA parties, as the constituent parties could not agree on a leader and seat sharing in most states. Nitish Kumar wanted to be the PM candidate, which was opposed by other alliance leaders like Mamata Banerjee. The proposal to make Kumar the convenor of the alliance also didn’t materialise due to a lack of consensus. All this has led to the speculations that Nitish Kumar will leave RJD and join NDA once again.
