GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 1st Feb. In Bihar, regardless of the government’s formation, coalition building, or party involvement, Nitish Kumar always emerges as the Chief Minister. This is a technique that no other leader in the country has mastered, and it is remarkable how Nitish Kumar manages to retain his position even after a change in administration. This unique characteristic sets him apart from other politicians. Since 2005, Nitish Kumar has consistently achieved the seemingly impossible, and he continues to do so successfully.
Politics is all about narrative and perception. If the two great leaders of Bihar, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, are compared, it becomes evident how important perception and narrative are and how it shapes and ruins people’s image. Lalu Prasad Yadav was sentenced to prison for his involvement in the fodder fraud. Lalu Prasad Yadav and corruption are regarded synonymous. Aside from personal corruption, Nitish Kumar’s governments have been no less corrupt than those of Lalu Prasad Yadav. Nitish Kumar has protected those who are no less crooked than he is.
In contrast, Nitish Kumar’s image is one of honesty, duty, and principle. His image is that of a moral leader, a socialist leader, and a champion of social justice. On the contrary, Lalu Prasad Yadav is portrayed as a clown, and it is claimed that his politics continue because he gathers votes based on caste. Despite the fact that Nitish Kumar’s caste receives only 2.5 percent of votes, he is nonetheless politically viable.
Expert at swapping sides
Lalu Prasad Yadav has only been Chief Minister once. He’s been married twice. One may forget how many times Nitish Kumar has taken the oath. He took the oath twice in 2005. After that, he took oath in 2010, then again in 2013 when he quit the BJP, and finally in 2015 when the Grand Alliance government was created. The NDA followed in 2017. In 2020, they fought against the NDA and won the elections. Following that, in 2022, he quit the NDA and joined the Grand Alliance before retaking the oath as Chief Minister in 2024. It’s becoming tough to remember how many times he took the oath. It is intriguing to witness two poles in Bihar’s politics. The BJP is on one side, while the RJD is on the other. Both parties supported him. However, he continued to make claims and stated that the alliance was broken because efforts were being undertaken to destabilize his party. However, in the last 19 years, neither the RJD nor the BJP have defeated a single member of their respective parties. Except for one or two persons who move around during elections, the RJD and BJP did not swap any MLAs from one party to another.
When he left the BJP the last time, the party’s previous president, RCP Singh, who was close to him and from his own caste, accused him of attempting to split his party by joining the BJP. Nitish was innocent when he joined the BJP in 2017, he took the names of the persons who had lured and compelled him to do so. Later, when he joined the Grand Alliance in 2022, he said that Lalan Singh and Vijendra Yadav guided him in that path. Nitish Kumar’s every move is meticulously planned, with the sole goal of determining where he will be appointed Chief Minister. Apart from that, nothing is taken into consideration. There is no principle and no policy that works. There is no connection between them and social justice. He has nothing to do with the backward classes or the Mahadalits. All they are concerned about is the Chief Minister’s chair. Nitish Kumar is with whomever is in the Chief Minister’s chair and continues with him. Nitish Kumar is the most ironic face of Bharatiya politics. However, it is astonishing that people who support him do not stop praising him.
Why are the BJP and RJD eager to be duped?
Lalu Prasad Yadav understands Nitish Kumar better than anyone else. However, Lalu Prasad Yadav continued to cheat despite his understanding. In 2013, he created an alliance in 2015, which helped him win and become Chief Minister. Then in 2022, he promoted him to Chief Minister. Lalu Prasad Yadav has been duped three times and the BJP has been duped more than once. It appears that both parties are bracing themselves for Nitish Kumar to come and betrayal. As if they both enjoy being cheated.
When Nitish Kumar left the Grand Alliance or RJD, Lalu Prasad Yadav did not attempt to split his party. These rumors and debates are coming from Nitish Kumar’s side, with the only difference being that his party is being broken. When such news arrives, it indicates that Nitish Kumar is set to make a comeback. The moniker Paltu Ram bestowed upon him by the RJD is exactly correct. Nitish Kumar defeated the 1960s’ “Aaya Ram Gaya Ram era”. Nitish Kumar is regarded as one of the most principled politicians in the country. There has been a perception gap between Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav. Apart from the fodder scandal, there has been no instance in Lalu Yadav’s political career in which he has sacrificed his ideals, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, or taken any action to rescue his government or himself or have succumbed to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP would do everything for political gain
At least once, he approached the BJP about consolidating all of the fodder fraud cases. He requested support from the BJP, but it refused. Apart from that, no proposal has been presented to the BJP from his end, and no agreement has been reached with them. However, Nitish Kumar made a deal with both Lalu Yadav and the BJP. It appears that both the BJP and Lalu Yadav relish being fooled. Even after being betrayed, both of them accompany Nitish Kumar and wait for him to betray them again. Lalu Prasad Yadav recognizes that backing Nitish Kumar gives him power. The BJP also gains power, but Lalu Prasad Yadav does not preach about principled politics or advocate for a different party, but the BJP does. Now, why did the BJP do this? The BJP seeks to convey the notion that it pursues practical politics rather than principled politics. From a practical standpoint, it will profit politically, regardless of whether it needs to bring along a corrupt leader like Ajit Pawar or a cheater like Nitish Kumar; the BJP is willing to make any kind of deal. The only prerequisite is that they derive political gain from it.
Nitish Kumar’s return to the team serves two purposes. One is to weaken the opposition alliance, which was founded by Nitish Kumar, to the point where it no longer exists. Second, the BJP was terrified somewhere in Bihar, especially of the NDA. Chirag Paswan has no political clout. He would have to bear the insult and make peace with the same Nitish Kumar. He wishes to align with the BJP and the NDA and the doors are also open for everyone. If anyone so desires, he can engage in opportunistic politics and join the grand alliance. This will significantly impact their seats in the assembly elections.
Nitish is Bharat’s political dark horse
One thing is certain: Chirag Paswan, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Tejashwi Yadav all look to be more committed and correct in principle than Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar is the face of Bharatiya politics that portrays a very negative image of Bharatiya politics in that he is willing to make any sacrifice for the purpose of power, and if he is willing to compromise for the sake of power, he has a large number of supporters. Nitish Kumar is certain that he can shift parties at any time and that he will be welcomed into any party he chooses. He has been to opposing camps and has been warmly welcomed in both. What has Nitish Kumar not said about the RJD and BJP? Who can forget his statement in the Bihar Assembly, in which he declared that he will never compromise with the BJP? He has educated future leaders that principles and other concepts are pointless and useless. If one needs to survive in politics, they must first understand where the power lies. Always be ready to eat and grow a thick skin. Continue swapping sides brazenly. Nitish Kumar’s political survival is a gloomy omen for Bihar politics. The people of Bihar should consider whether such a person should be permitted to continue in politics. Lok Sabha elections will be held in 2024, while Assembly elections will be held in 2025. This is a test not for Nitish Kumar, the RJD, or the BJP, but for Bihar voters, who must decide if they want to change their state’s politics or leave it as is. Bihar voters must decide.
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