Picture : @NitishKumar/X
Going into the Bihar Polls in Late 2025 , the JD(U) party of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who had alliance with the BJP had come out with a rather catchy slogan “25 se 30, phir se Nitish”. The hint from JD(U) to ally BJP was loud and clear . Nitish would be the Chief Minister if the alliance wins .
The alliance viewers of the JD(U) and, BJP and Chirag Paswan’s LJP ( Ram Vilas) powered their way to landslide win . paving the way for Nitish to take oath as Chief Minister for the record 10th time. All the talk of an-incumbency and age issues were put to rest . But politics is not one to stay silent for long ,
BJP had all along had played second fiddle to the JD(U) in Bihar. Resting on Nitish’s shoulders whenever it came to power in the state . This time with seats for more than the JD( U) 85 and BJP 89 the saffron party smelt power .
In a dramatic move Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister and was moved to Rajya Sabha. . A move that stunned his party JD(U) and the opposition who took no time to say that the exit of Nitish was betrayal of the verdict given by the people . If Nitish was to be sent to Rajya Sabha, why was he the face of the NDA as CM to win the polls ? Was it it the BJP startegy that they knew they had no local leaders who were powerful enough to win them the majority on their own. So they rode on Nitish’s appeal to power only to oust in barely six months time .
Nitish leaving his five-year term mid- way has surprised political pundits . With Nitish in upper house , his exit from Bihar politics has reminded the people of the Maharashtra model adopted by the BJP along with its allies the Eknath Shinde ( Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar ( NCP).
In Maharashtra too , The NDA went into the poll campaign under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. But once the BJP ( 132) got more seats than it allies Shinde ( 57 and Ajit Pawar ( NCP) 41. The game was over for Eknath Shinde . It was apparent as BJP with more seats would wrest back the Chief minister’s chair. Eknath Shinde was left to cool his heels and don the role of Deputy Chief Minister. So the BJP has repeated the Maharashtra model in Bihar in its shrewd way.
Apart from BJP’s CM ambitions in Bihar , another move is set to create a stir. The entry of Nishant Kumar, son Of Nitish Kumar in the political arena . If he is part of the government then what happens to the BJP’s often repeated jibe at the Gandhi’s as Dynasts? It is nothing but sheer hyprocrisy .
And BJP’s double standards on Dynasts was explained by then National Confrence Vice- president Omar Abdullah in an interview in 2024. Abdullah was quoted as saying politicians are neither branded “dynasts” nor “corrupt” once they align with the BJP. He argued that the BJP ignores dynastic practices within its own ranks or alliances. Well next time Prime Minister Narendra Modi, or Amit Shah mentions Dynasts they should be advised to look within first .
Lastly, for the 75 year-old Nitish Kumar, no matter how much BJP defends his Rajya Sabha move and praise his role in Bihar politics , the fact that why he was not allowed to complete his five- year term will always remain a mystery. It is certainly not the ending Nitish would have hoped for of his long innings in politics .
