Omkar Dattatray
They say that in politics and war there are no permanent friends and foes and same is today proved by Nitesh Kumar the chief minister of Bihar .He is very ambitious and greedy politician .Nitesh is also opportunistic and for the sake of power ,he can go to any extent and can even have strange bed fellows and can go with the BJP even and in doing this he does not feel any hesitation .Nitesh is famous for turning coats and sometimes he remains with the Laloo Prasad’s RJD and at other time he does not feel any difficulty to align with the NDA.As per the understanding with RJD,the JDU and its chairman Nitesh kumar had at the time of formation of the JDU-RJD government agreed to give a chance to Tejshwi Yadva to be the chief minister ,but Nitesh is reluctant to surrender the chief ministers chair to RJD’s Jejhswi Yadav. There was tremendous pressure from Laloo Yadav and his RJD to give the chair of chief minister to Tejhiswi Yadav .But the greed of power is so much to Nitesh Kumar and he is intoxicated that he does not like to surrender the chief ministers chair to RJD candidate .Instead he chose to come closer to BJP at the centre level and in the state politics too .Nitesh submitted his resignation to governor from the post of chief minister and thus stepped down to pave way for the new government and his chief ministership for the ninth time. Tejhiswi Yadav has said that Khela in the state is still remaining .The governor should also give him the chance to show majority at the floor of the assembly .It is learnt that BJP will give support to Nitesh Kumar and thus it will not be difficult for him to again form JDU government with the help of BJP and in turn he pledges support to NDA at the national level .Politics is a dirty and unique game .Home minister has time and again said that the doors of BJP are closed for Nitesh Kumar but now he is ready to allow him in the fold of NDA for the sake of leeching to power. .Nitesh Kumar was a staunch critic of BJP and NDA and it was he who did much hard work in uniting the non BJP parties and was the co-founder of INDIA alliance to take on the NDA in 2024 Lok Sabha polls. .Nitesh was nursing the dream of being the prime minister and so he wanted to be the primeministerial face of the united opposition called craftily as INDIA.As there was no consensus on naming a PM candidate in the opposition camp and he was neither made the convener nor named as the PM candidate and so he is ready to severe his relationship from the INDIA bloc .The statements ,body language and actions of Nitesh Kumar indicate and suggest that he is ready to go with NDA to satiate his ambition of remaining the chief minister of Bihar .There are enough indications that Nitesh may align with the BJP/NDA and will fight the coming general elections as a partner of NDA .All eyes are on Nitish Kumar as political storm brews in Bihar and it will impact the national politics also .All eyes were trained on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar with the JDU president appearing to be inching towards his second political volte face in less than three years .For Kumar ,who maintained a deafening silence over the turmoil in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ ,ignoring pleas from allies RJD ,Congress and the left to clear the confusion ,it was business as usual .The longest -serving CM began by flagging off a number of new fire brigade engines at the city’s veterinary college ground ,which saw him address a mammoth party rally earlier this week .He followed it up with a visit to Buxar ,for inauguration of a beautification project of a renowned temple ,a project of tourism department that is held by his deputy Tejashwi Yadav ,who remained conspicuous by his absence .The attendees included senior BJP leader and union minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey ,who is the local MP .However Choubey declined to comment on the ongoing upheaval.BJP state in -charge Vinod Tawde ,who is in Patna to attend a meeting of BJP ,also kept cards close to the chest ,but blamed the congress for the imminent break up of Nitish Kumar with the opposition INDIA bloc ,of which he was seen as the veritable architect .Meanwhile ,JDU political advisor and spokesperson KC Tyagi told the reporters in Delhi that the grand alliance government in Bihar is on the verge of collapse ,and accused a section of congress leadership of repeatedly ‘insulting kumar .”The INDIA bloc is on the verge of collapse. The alliance of INDIA bloc parties is almost over in Punjab ,West Bengal and Bihar. ”he said .Upon kumar’s return to Patna ,top leaders of JDU began pouring in at the official residence of the party president ,who is expected to put in his papers as chief minister and stake claim for the formation of a new government with the BJP’s support. Leaders of the RJD also gathered at the residence of national vice-president and former CM Rabri Devi ,who shares her government bungalow with Tejashwi Yadav ,her son ,and husband Lalu Prasad ,who is the party president .All party leaders were made to deposit their mobile phones outside of 10,Cricular Road ,the house situated at a stone’s throw from the chief minister’s residence .Sources claiming to be in the know of things said the deliberations were about the course of action to be followed in the event of Kumar calling off alliance. While some RJD leaders are said to be in favor of staking claim to form the new government ,hoping to cobble up support of eight MLA’s ,the Mahagathbandhan requires to go past the majority mark ,others ,including Tejashwi Yadav ,appear to be impressed with the idea since the JDU and the BJP together have more than 122 members in the 243-strong assembly .There is great political uncertainty in Bihar and the situation is not clear as yet and in two ,three days the whole picture will become clear and thus time will only tell which way the wind will blow but the chances are that Kumar will once again steal the show and will become the chief minister the ninth time in succession .But a fast political development took place in Bihar and Nitish Kumar took oath of office and secrecy on 28th January Sunday. However still there will be political uncertainty in the state as Nitish can change the course of politics as per his political and personal preference as he is most uncertain political figure and most unpredictable.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
