Though Bihar elections results show Nitish-led NDA have emerged as winners but It was the PM Modi led BJP that pulled off the elections for Nitish Kumar. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the bigger partner within the alliance, with 31 more seats than JDU. NDA fought the Bihar election with Nitish Kumar as its chief ministerial candidate, however, the way BJP has trumped its own alliance partner, questions are being raised on whether Nitish Kumar will still get the upper hand.
Throughout the Bihar assembly election campaign and in its war of words with LJP leader Chirag Paswan, NDA partners BJP and JDU had maintained that Nitish Kumar’s JDU was the senior partner in the Bihar alliance. It has been so in the past as well.
However, the 2020 Bihar assembly election result has sprung a surprise and made BJP the larger party within NDA. Even if Nitish Kumar is still made the chief minister, it will be in a weaker capacity.
Senior BJP leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have maintained that Nitish Kumar will continue to be the chief minister of Bihar if NDA wins the assembly election. However, BJP, which has been playing second fiddle to Nitish Kumar’s JDU, is expected to be more assertive and hope for a greater share in the government.
On the other hand, although LJP has won just one seat after snapping ties with NDA and going solo, Chirag Paswan’s extensive campaign against CM Nitish Kumar and his 15 years of rule may have borne results by weakening the JDU chief’s position in the next Bihar government.
LJP has ruined JDU’s chances in at least 30 seats. JDU spokesperson KC Tyagi told PTI that a “sinister” campaign was run against Nitish Kumar as part of a “conspiracy”. “Apne bhi shamil the aur begane bhi (Our own also harmed us along with the outsiders),” Tyagi said, without taking names.
In the past, Nitish Kumar had maintained his lead irrespective of which coalition he went with. In 2015, Nitish Kumar partnered with Lalu Prasad of the RJD, and brought the Mahagathbandhan to power giving the BJP-led NDA a resounding defeat.
He then quit the Mahagathbandhan and joined hands with BJP to form the NDA government in Bihar and maintained his seniority in the alliance. However, this time BJP has clearly spoilt the party for Nitish Kumar, who said this is his last election in a final, emotional appeal to the voters of Bihar.
