Nitish Kumar’s political oscillations put a pendulum to shame

Nitish Kumar’s actions have brought much embarrassment to the followers of the late Ram Manohar Lohia and other socialist leaders who would have never imagined that one of their own would stoop so low.

By taking the oath as Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time, Nitish Kumar has created a record. In the process, he has become an ‘Eknath Shinde’ of the intensely political state which gave us Jaya Prakash Narain and Karpoori Thakur. Kumar’s political oscillation, which would put a pendulum to shame, is sure to have repercussions, and they might not be in favour of the Janata Dal (United) leader.

Kumar’s actions have brought much embarrassment to the followers of the late Ram Manohar Lohia and other socialist leaders who never imagined that one of their own would stoop so low. How can a socialist leader become so careerist and unmindful of values and principles!

The political developments in Bihar on January 28 speak volumes of the political culture of the Narendra Modi era where the end justifies the means; where nothing is sacred, and nothing is sacrosanct in the pursuit of power.

Bihar looked helpless when the one at the helm attempted to topsy turvy politics despite attracting the scorn of his detractors who have often branded him ‘Paltu Ram’ (one who changes sides at the drop of a hat).

Seventy-two-year-old Kumar is comparable to Shinde because both the leaders are good examples of BJP’s style of politics which is being seen in different states. Kumar has also outdone Shinde in that the former has also used Thakur’s name to further his political decisions. When the Government of India announced the Bharat Ratna for Thakur on January 23, Kumar was quick to thank the Modi-led government and take a swipe at ‘dynastic politics’, which was a veiled attack at his coalition ally in Bihar, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and the Congress, among other political parties. 

Kumar’s chameleon-like ability to switch coalition colours is often justified with an explanation, which he also might be aware is fooling nobody.

The sum and substance of his somersaults has always been that he was not to blame or the last to blame as the circumstances forced him to do what he did. Once being hailed as ‘Sushasan Babu’, Kumar has now become a paler version of Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal who walked into the Congress with his entire Cabinet after Indira Gandhi’s return to power in 1980. The difference is that the late Lal did less talking and knew that every man has a price.

Kumar looks unconcerned that his actions have forced political literates to reminisce the ‘Aya Ram Gaya Ram’ politics of Haryana during the late Sixties which saw the beginning of the defection game as we see it today.

Kumar’s possible future course of action was evident about a month back when his close confident K C Tyagi suggested that there is no one untouchable in politics. The operation was on, stealthily, silently.

Though Kumar has yet again become Chief Minister, this time the going will be tough. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which Kumar dumped to form a government in 2022, will ensure that the JDU leader is given little to no legroom to do such antics. Two strong local BJP leaders are Kumar’s deputies — BJP state president Samart Choudhary and legislature party head Vijay Sinha. Then, of course, there is always Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan, who played a role in electorally pushing the JDU on the backfoot in 2020.

For the BJP national leadership, the new arrangement in Bihar is aimed at getting maximum of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. Kumar deserting the I.N.D.I.A bloc is a huge setback for the Opposition with the general elections in a few months’ time.

Election strategist Prashant Kishor, who until recently was a close associate of Kumar in the JDU, does not see this old-but-new alliance government in Bihar completing its term till 2025. Kishor has time and again insisted that Kumar is virtually past his political expiry date and hence is attempting all experiments to prolong his career.

All this means is that the BJP is shrewdly using Nitish Kumar for the Lok Sabha polls.

(Sunil Gatade and Venkatesh Kesari are senior journalists.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.