The shift from Chief Minister to Rajya Sabha: Examining the political exit of Nitish Kumar
Inglorious end to a glorious political chapter! It is not to undermine political and administrative achievements, despite his penchant for shifting political loyalties like quicksand, of the longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. It reflects a gory but interesting political chapter in the history of Bihar, perhaps the worst kind of broad daylight political manoeuvre accomplished with the active participation of the one against whom it was plotted.
Not only did he become part of the political machination, willingly or unwillingly (only time will tell), but he also tried to rewrite certain rules in the political realm. It went a step ahead of overnight changing alliances, offering strange and sometimes flimsy reasoning and thereby basing everything on “welfare of Bihar”.
Well, Nitish babu has, at last, become an honourable member of the Upper House of Parliament, popularly known as Rajya Sabha, as a barter to have vacated the Chief Minister’s chair in one of the most politically significant and historic states of Bihar. If the reports quoting him are to be believed, becoming a Rajya Sabha MP was his cherished desire in the twilight of his political career, for which he did not mind leaving the chief ministership. It has come as an utter surprise even to his close aides, barring those who are alleged to have plotted his migration from Patna to New Delhi in connivance with the powers that be at the Centre.
At the centre of this political episode of sordid dimensions is a new manifestation of BJP’s now popular operation “Lotus”, which is squarely aimed at expanding the party’s footprint through wresting power, electorally or otherwise. The so-far elusive BJP-led government in Bihar has, at last, been achieved through securing Kumar’s “help”.
It is both a matter of concern and of in-depth investigation as to how the present state arose. How did an astute, able, and honest political leader such as Kumar fall into the trap of “Operation Lotus” in its new form? After all, the socialist in him has been a BJP ally for decades now and can be accused, alongside his other ideological colleagues like former Defence Minister, George Fernandes, of helping in the growth of the saffron party. In this backdrop, he deserved better treatment than being dispatched to the Rajya Sabha in lieu of offering the chief ministership to the ally partner on a platter.
It would not have been possible for the BJP to reach the present state without the help and assistance of Kumar, whatever the reasons might be. In order to checkmate his more wily socialist friends, Lalu Prasad Yadav and late Ram Vilas Paswan, though the latter also joined the saffron camp after some time, the newly sworn Rajya Sabha member saw no option but to make common cause with the BJP, which in the end has proved to be his nemesis.
To be fair to Kumar, but for a very brief interregnum when he joined the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. combine against the Narendra Modi dispensation, he remained steadfast in his anti-Congressism, though at the cost of cherished secular values. On the other hand, Paswan reaped political dividends both in Congress- and BJP-headed formations, which is still bearing fruit for his next generation.
Kumar’s impeccably clean image had stood him in good stead throughout his political career, and he was able to make his mark whether as Chief Minister or a Union Minister, which earned him the sobriquet of “Susashan Babu”. But in the end, the vagaries of practical and manipulative politics seemed to have got the better of his value-based political anchor.
Despite being the sheet anchor and author of Janata Dal (United), Kumar had been gradually losing control under all-round pressure exerted by the powerful alliance partner BJP, with the active assistance of some of his own party persons. By the time he took oath as a Rajya Sabha MP in the hallowed chamber of the Chairman, CP Radhakrishnan, in the august presence of a galaxy of BJP’s top central ministers, he seemed to have turned a loner.
Certainly, Kumar’s removal as Chief Minister and travel to Delhi is unceremonious. Seemingly, it has not brought any joy to either him or his supporters. At the same time, his weakening position has also put a big question mark on the future of Janata Dal (U), with the prying BJP strategists on the prowl, eyeing its political base.
This should worry Kumar in the light of the recent developments in Odisha, where the same strategists had proactively cornered the old and trusted BJP ally, Biju Janata Dal. Not only is the party chief and former Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, nursing his wounds after an electoral defeat at the hands of his old ally, but more appallingly, he found his illustrious father, top-ranking political leader, freedom fighter, and an ace fighter pilot, Biju Patnaik, being targeted by a lesser mortal among the BJP ranks, allegedly describing him as a CIA agent, only to retract under pressure.
It is to Kumar’s credit that he did not encourage dynastic politics, particularly in his own family, unlike his old friends Yadav and Paswan, as the wards of both are now controlling their political parties. A political situation has arisen, or has been created, where a beleaguered Kumar has been forced to bring his son into politics at a time when he does not seem to be in command.
Samrat Choudhary, as the BJP nominee to replace Kumar as Chief Minister, is not the happiest of auguries, particularly for the people of Bihar, who had voted the ruling alliance back to power in the last Assembly elections in the name of Nitish Kumar. One should not be surprised if the people of Bihar are gripped by a sense of betrayal and blame him for the current transition of power in the state.
In any case, Choudhary has a tough task to step into the shoes of Kumar. Already mired in controversies on account of his educational qualifications and personal track record, there is a question mark on whether he has the capability and capacity to take independent decisions and resist pressure from New Delhi.
Nevertheless, Kumar’s “gain” in getting his Rajya Sabha “ambition” fulfilled is a net loss for the people of Bihar. Since Choudhary is an outsider in the BJP-RSS spectrum, it will be interesting to see how the old guard and loyalists in the Sangh Parivar react to the situation in the months to come.
The writer is a political and national affairs analyst; Views presented are personal.
