BJP looking at getting its first Bihar Chief Minister

New Delhi: Bihar is likely to have its first BJP Chief Minister, with former JDU president and present Chief Minister Nitish Kumar moving to the Rajya Sabha. The 71-year-old Kumar—despite it being denied by his party colleagues including Sanjay Jha—may move to the Rajya Sabha once elections take place to the six RS seats from Bihar that get vacant in July.
He is likely to be replaced by Union Minister of Home (State) Nityanand Rai, who is a Yadav. However, in case the party leadership decides to accept the demands of the powerful forward caste lobby, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, a Bhumihar, may take oath as the next CM of Bihar. The state has not seen a CM from the forward caste since March 1990 when the tenure of Jagannath Mishra ended.
According to the discussion taking place inside relevant BJP circles, BJP’s commitment to appoint Nitish Kumar as the CM, post the November 2020 polls, where the JDU could win only 43 seats with the BJP winning 74 seats, was never a “permanent fixture”.
During the campaigning for the elections, Kumar, while addressing a public rally in Purnia, had got emotional, and announced that the 2020 elections would be his last. A six-time Lok Sabha member, Kumar has taken oath as CM of the state a record seven times and has been in the post since 24 November 2005.
Indications that a major political development was taking place behind closed doors in Patna and Delhi first emerged on 30 March, when while talking to media persons in his Assembly chamber, Kumar said that his wish to go to Rajya Sabha had not yet been fulfilled. After this statement, speculation started that Nitish may opt to hand over the Chief Minister’s chair after 17 years.
The speculation got further momentum after the results of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections were announced on 10 March.
Post the UP results, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader, Tarkishore Prasad, who is a relatively junior politician, while speaking in Chapra on 3 April said that the “Yogi model” of administration was necessary for better governance in Bihar to improve law and order in the state. It is pertinent to mention that the Home Department is under Nitish Kumar.
Similar demands had also come from Mithilesh Kumar, BJP MLA from Sitamarhi, Vinay Bihari, BJP MLA from Lauriya, Haribhushan Thakur Bachoul, BJP MLA from Bisfi, who all demanded the implementation of the “Yogi model” of governance in the state.
Vinay Bihari, who is also a former minister, in fact stated that during the regime of Nitish Kumar, legislators have turned to “hijdas” (eunuchs). At the time, BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal too was present. Later, during the recent Assembly session, Vinay Bihari said that “Right now BJP was in the role of ‘inspector’ but when the next session convenes, it will be in the role of superintendent of police.”
After the UP elections, BJP leaders were successfully able to put pressure on Nitish Kumar to drop Vikas Sheel Insaan Party (VIP) from the NDA. The Chief Minister also had to dismiss VIP chief and then animal husbandry minister, Mukesh Sahni from his Cabinet as Sahni had fielded candidates against the BJP in UP.
Later, three VIP MLAs joined BJP, which was notified by the Speaker too.
On Saturday, when the results of the byelections for Bochahan constituency were announced, it emerged that the RJD candidate, Amar Paswan had trounced the BJP candidate, Baby Kumari by a massive 36,600 votes. Among other senior leaders, Nitish too had campaigned in the constituency, but was handed a massive loss by the voters.
Post the result, BJP leaders are alleging that the voters from the forward castes, Bhumihars and Rajputs and those belonging to the fishermen community voted aggressively against the BJP candidate. A trend, according to them, which was also visible during the recent elections of Members of Legislative Council (MLC) in which the NDA performed badly. Of the 24 MLC seats that went to the polls, BJP won seven seats out of the 12 it contested. However, it lost the Saran seat, which was won by Sachchidanand Rai who broke away from the BJP and contested as an independent after being denied a ticket. More importantly, Lalu Prasad’s RJD won six seats. Out of which, three candidates were Bhumihars, the caste which is perceived to be hostile towards Lalu Prasad and his party. BJP rebels, who fought as independents, managed to win four seats. JD(U) could win only in five constituencies.
According to BJP leaders, the forward castes ensured the defeat of the NDA nominees in the MLC elections as well in Bochahan as they have turned against NDA because of the Chief Minister’s appeasement policy towards the OBCs, particularly Kurmis and Kushwahas.
According to them, the JDU being able to win only 43 seats in the 2020 Assembly elections had confirmed the diminishing utility of Nitish Kumar.
With the term of six Rajya Sabha members from Bihar coming to an end on 7 July, including one seat that has fallen vacant due to the passing away of JDU’s King Mahendra and one seat that was represented by former JDU party president Sharad Yadav, Nitish Kumar’s wishes to go to the Rajya Sabha are likely to be fulfilled.
On their own strength, the JDU-BJP combine can win four seats, while RJD is in a comfortable position to send two MPs. Of the four who are retiring in July, two are from the BJP and one each from RJD and JDU.
Among those whose term is expiring include Union Minister for Steel and Mines, R.C.P. Singh (JDU). Singh is likely to be retained on the seat for which vacancy had been caused due to the death of King Mahendra in December. If elected, RCP would be a member of the Upper House for two years only.