Explainer: Nitish Kumar’s survival tactics — why do BJP, RJD play along

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, January 29

Political antics of master acrobat Nitish Kumar are well documented; therefore, there is no point again referring to the number of times he has done a U-turn to join either the BJP or the RJD to become the Bihar chief minister.

The man has been in the top post for more than two decades, irrespective of who the people in Bihar vote for, and that he manages without worrying about perceptions about him.     

The bigger question here is: what is the compulsion of the BJP and the RJD—the two parties at the far end of the political spectrum of Bihar —who play along.        

Does Nitish have teeth in his pet (stomach)

It is said in Bihar political circles that no one understands Nitish Kumar better than Lalu Prasad, his “friend” since 1970s.

Nitish Kumar was studying in the Bihar College of Engineering and Lalu Prasad at Patna Law College when they became friends. They also share the same socialist roots and mentors like Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur.

Observers say the situation and compulsions of Lalu Prasad and the RJD are easier to understand than that of the BJP. Forming the government with Nitish Kumar, who has become an important ingredient for the government of any colour or ideology in Bihar, is Lalu Prasad's way of remaining in power.

From 115 seats in 2010 to 71 in 2015 to 43 in 2020, JD(U)’s strength in the Assembly has been on a slide but Nitish Kumar remains an important cog without which the wheel in Bihar cannot roll.

Lalu Yadav had made an interesting observation about Nitish Kumar having “pet main daant”—a popular idiom in the Hindi heartland state which basically means unreliable—in 2017.                  

“Kya aap ‘pet ke daant’ theek karane vaale kisi dentist ko jaanate hain? Bihar mein janaadesh ka ek murderer hai jiske pet mein daant hain. Usane sabhi netaon aur partiyon ko hi nahin balki karodon gareebon ko bhi apne vishadant se kaata hai,” Lalu Prasad said on the social media. 

“Do you know any dentist who fixes ‘stomach teeth’? There is a murderer of mandate in Bihar who has teeth in his stomach. He has bitten not only all leaders and parties but also crores of poor people with his fangs” is the translation of his post.

BJP’s compulsions 

But why did BJP—a powerful party with a government at the Centre and in several key states, including the biggest of them all Uttar Pradesh—had to give in to Nitish Kumar after what its top leader Amit Shah and senior leaders in Bihar like Giriraj Singh had been saying since his last dramatic volte-face. 

A year ago, Shah had said that the “doors of the BJP have been closed for Nitish Kumar”; therefore, the big question.

Observers say Nitish Kumar was a key face of Opposition’s INDIA bloc to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming general election.  

He was the one who convened the first meeting of opposition parties in Patna in June last year, bringing together several frontline leaders on one platform.

Subsequently, three more meetings were held in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi but there was no unanimity on appointing Nitish Kumar as the convener of the INDIA bloc. Apparently, he lost patience after Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee proposed the name of Mallikaarjun Kharge as PM candidate which was backed by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. 

But while breaking away of Nitish Kumar at this crucial stage has given power to the BJP’s argument against the opposition bloc, it has also impacted perceptions about the BJP.

According to political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor, the BJP will have a tough time explaining to its voters why it backed Kumar after saying that its doors were closed for him.

Kishor also claimed that the BJP may end up paying a “huge price” for this and that the newly-formed alliance would also unravel before the 2025 Assembly elections in the state.

“Nitish Kumar's volte-face is no surprise. I had been saying that he would not remain with the Mahagathbandhan ever since he had joined the combine,” Kishor was quoted as saying in Begusarai district where he is carrying his 'Jan Suraaj' yatra.

“But today's development proves that if Nitish is ‘palturam’, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are no different. The BJP seems to have made a calculation in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. But it will pay a huge price in the assembly polls due next year,” said Kishor, who has worked as a political strategist for both PM Modi and Nitish Kumar.

“I make another prediction and you can catch me if I am proved wrong. The alliance that has been formed will not last till the assembly polls. In fact, it may come apart within a months of the Lok Sabha poll.

“The BJP is doing now what the Congress had done during the RJD’s time. Both national parties have aligned with hugely unpopular regional leaders for small gains at the central level,” he said.

About The Author

Tribune Web Desk

The Tribune Web Desk brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune Wed Desk for not just breaking news stories but wide-ranging coverage of events.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Bihar #BJP #Nitish Kumar