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After 15 years at the helm of the affairs of the state of Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is is facing acid test of survival as he attempts to win his fourth term as Chief Minister. This time though the challenge it seems will be cliffhanger of sorts.
RJD leader and Grand alliance choice for Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav is drawing in the crowds in his rallies but will these crowds translate into votes is a big question. BJP led by star campaigner Prime Minister Narendra Modi have attacked the opposition reminding the people of the Jungle Raj under Lalu Yadav and the dark days and promising development under Nitish if voted to power. BJP has raised the issues of – Ram Mandir, Article 370, Pulwama attack to woo the voters.
But in a state hit hard by lack of jobs, migrants issues, will the the Ram Mandir , Article 370 resonate among voters?. It remains to be seen. Local issues as campaign trail by various news channels seem to indicate matter more than nationalistic ones.
LJP chief Chirag Paswan is fighting his first poll battle in absence of his father Ram Vilas Paswan who passed away recently. Chirag had broke his alliance with the NDA and strangely enough backs the BJP to form the government in the state.
BJP had dismissed Chirag Paswan and has ruled him out as leader who could make a difference . BJP has strongly backed Nitish Kumar as a chief Minister candidate and has said clearly that if BJP – JD(U) alliance comes to power again Nitish will be the unanimous choice as Chief Minister again. Even if the BJP has more numbers than the JD(U).
Chirag on the other hand has continued his tirade against Nitish and even gone on to claim that Nitish will switch sides after results are out . This talk is not without any reason. Remember he became the chief minister last time around in 2015 when he was part of the Grand alliance with the RJD and the Congress.
BJP has made a promise to Nitish that he will be Chief Minister. It cannot move away from this promise when the results come out. The NDA already had two of its allies the longest ones- Shiv Sena 25 years and the Akali Dal move out along with Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP . Leaving only Ramdas Athawale’s party the RPI as the only ally left. The last thing it wants is the exit of JD(U) from Bihar. If this does happen hypothetically BJP will coime under severe criticism how it deals with its allies.
Moreover, despite the many flaws in Sushasan Babu as Nitish is fondly called , the onus in voters of Bihar to decide whom they want to lead them in the year’s ahead – the tested Nitish Kumar or a young Tejashwi Yadav. November 10 will the answer to the question.
