Nitish Kumar leaves behind mixed legacy - from 'development with justice' to political flip-flops

Patna: Like all political leaders of considerable stature, Nitish Kumar, who resigned as Bihar chief minister on Tuesday, leaves behind a mixed legacy even though the JD(U) president may have loved to be remembered solely as the architect of modern Bihar who ensured “development with justice”.

“Nyay ke saath vikas” is a slogan popularised by Kumar, now a Rajya Sabha MP, who had always been dependent upon the BJP for staying in power, but remained intent on underscoring his commitment to social justice and communal harmony.

Critics may, however, revel in pointing out that the product of Mandal agitation was handing over the state to the BJP in the only Hindi heartland state where the saffron party had so far not been able to head a government.

Moreover, amid speculations that Kumar’s son Nishant, who recently joined the JD(U), could be inducted into the new government as a deputy CM, despite not yet being a member of the state legislature, the carefully crafted image of a politician who never gave in to the allure of “dynasty politics” gets unmistakably dented.

Nonetheless, the 75-year-old has many achievements to his credit, some of which date back to his stint as a Union minister in the cabinet of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is said to have counted on Kumar as one of his most competent cabinet colleagues.

Vajpayee played an instrumental role in projecting him as the “face of the NDA” while the BJP-led coalition was trying to upstage the formidable RJD, headed by Lalu Prasad, from Bihar.

Remembered as one of the best parliamentarians of his time, Kumar is said to have taken a keen interest in the modernisation of railways while he held the crucial portfolio.

Upon taking over as the chief minister in 2005, the proud Bihari set himself the task of transforming his home state’s image of a lawless basket case, and his first five years in power are acknowledged by even his most vehement critics as having brought a whiff of fresh air.

A hard-nosed politician, Kumar had no qualms in rubbing shoulders with mafia dons like Anant Kumar Singh, the Mokama MLA, while, paradoxically, empowering the police to establish the rule of law.

Populism always remained a cornerstone of the politics of Kumar, whose tenure in power may well be remembered for schemes like free bicycles and uniforms to school girls, introduced early in his rule.

Schemes, such as 125 units of free power and waiver of fee levied on competitive examination forms, were offered towards the end of his innings, when the going had appeared to be tough.

Perhaps the most daring, yet controversial, of Kumar’s steps was his decision to clamp complete prohibition in the state.

The ban on liquor, which has allegedly led to a parallel industry, with alcohol being clandestinely delivered to homes of those who could afford it, had followed his promise to the state’s women ahead of the assembly polls of 2015 when he pulled off a surprise, defeating old ally BJP hands down while aligning with arch rival Lalu Prasad.

The last one decade of Kumar’s active political life may well be remembered for his numerous flip-flops. The JD(U) supremo, who now stands accused of “capitulation” before the BJP, was, ironically, a key architect of the INDIA bloc.

Buried under his impressive sounding record of having been sworn in as chief minister for 10 times is the fact that on many occasions, he gave up the post only to return within a day, sometimes even after a few hours, armed with the support of a new coalition.

Erratic behaviour in public, apparently caused by age-related infirmities that have not been disclosed, earned him much lampooning, often in bad taste, from the opposition.

Nonetheless, the constituency that he built for himself, comprising his own caste brethren, the Kurmis, besides the “ati pichhda” (extremely backwards) and the “Maha Dalits”, the weakest sections of the OBCs and the SCs respectively, had made him indispensable for whichever formation aimed to enjoy power in Bihar.

A reason why Prasad, who has been deriding the JD(U) chief with the epithet of “paltu ram” (turncoat), could not refuse a tie-up whenever Kumar approached him with an offer, only to dump him and return to the NDA when it suited him.

Similarly, the BJP, which has been outperforming JD(U) in election after election and has been nursing a grouse over his many public outbursts against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has long remained content with projecting him as the NDA’s face and even now says that the new government will continue to seek the “guidance of Nitish Kumar”.