The Bhartiya Janata Party is probably the biggest party in India that governs around 44 per cent of India’s territory and 49.6 per cent of its population. However, the giant party has faced backstabbing from the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Has BJP not put up a fight in the state? The answer is, No. So, what is the issue that forces the Bhartiya Janata Party to bite the dust every time? Let’s find out.
Nitish Kumar dumps BJP
Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Chief Minister of the NDA government and is busy making beds with the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Kumar resigned on Tuesday, ditching his alliance partner the BJP and within an hour returned to the Governor, accompanied by Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders.
He took oath as the CM of Bihar for the eighth time in 22 years. The new Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) is of seven parties and one independent. In the new arrangement, Tejashwi Yadav will serve as the deputy.
Read More: So, this is the final deal between RJD and JDU for Mahagathbandhan 2.0
BJP busy with coalition dharma
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused Nitish Kumar of betraying the mandate of the people by switching partners mid-term. Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal while speaking at a press conference in Patna, said that the people of Bihar will “never forgive” Nitish Kumar.
Jaiswal boasting about how the BJP, despite winning more seats, made room for Nitish Kumar to be the CM of the state, is problematic, as it’s politics and to be specific politics of a dynamic state. Hence, following the coalition dharma that BJP was busy with, was going to reap no benefits to the saffron party. To add on, criticising Kumar for not sticking to an ideology and willingness to trade principles for power is simply sadistic.
It’s the last chance for the BJP
JD(U) has been one of the oldest alliance partners of the NDA alliance. However, all thanks to Nitish Kumar’s u-turn attitude, it could not be for longer. Kumar called it quits in 2013, once it became clear that Narendra Modi would emerge as BJP’s central face, and sat in the lap of Lalu Yadav.
Also Read: JDU is finished!
In 2017, Nitish Kumar stomped out of the three-party alliance, claiming that the insatiable corruption of Tejashwi Yadav as a minister could not be tolerated by him. And came back to the BJP in 2017, just to walk out once again now.
While BJP knew Kumar’s obsession with U-turns, the party should not have passed the chair to him. Once done so, it was sure that Nitish Kumar is going to make the BJP dance to his tunes.
Can BJP split the JDU?
BJP only stands a chance in the state in the future if it realises the fear of Nitish Kumar, the fear of splitting the JD(U). After RCP Singh’s exit from the party, it was speculated that RCP Singh, the alleged Amit Shah’s man in Nitish’s basket was going to make some MLAs coup against Kumar. Kumar had earlier alleged that RCP Singh was used by BJP to turn JD(U) against Kumar.
The Chirag episode can be taken as a reference. In the latest assembly elections, Chirag Paswan had put up his party’s candidates against the JDU, which ultimately made the BJP gain. At that time too, Nitish Kumar thundered against Paswan, however, the BJP refused to criticise him.
If the BJP succeeds in functionally operating a Maharashtra model in Bihar, that would be the only way, BJP stands a chance in the next elections.
