The only thing constant about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is change - the change of political partners. Oscillating between ideological opponents RJD and BJP with such ease that none has shunned his offer so far every time he made a switch. What makes him so irresistible ?
Last time, he had remarked that he would die than go back to the BJP. The saffron party reciprocated the feeling saying they will never take him back even he ever asked them so. But in politics there are no permanent allies or opponents and no one has proved it better than Nitish himself.
He may take oath as chief minister of Bihar for the ninth time, the highest ever by any CM in the country. He resigned from the post on Sunday.
With Nitish exiting the INDIA alliance, the social justice plank including caste census as a counter to Modi's appeal is set to suffer a dent. An engineering graduate, who rose to political prominence during the JP movement along with Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan.
In deeply fractured polity of Bihar, he was credited with social.engineeeing as he empowered not only his caste but extremely backward. Nitish continues to be an engima outside his state as he chartered his political journey - from being a champion of social justice and secularism to siding with the BJP's pro-hindutva cause.
Nitish who served as Railways minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government has proved to be a deft player as he has managed to cement his place as prime mover in the state with clean image and delivering good governance, which no other leader in Bihar has managed to carve coupled with acceptability in masses.
A look at his dalliance with RJD and BJP would reveal that he brooks no opposition when it comes to anyone posing a challenge. He may keep quiet but never forgets slight or insult. He broke with Lalu to form his own party in 1994. He had become CM with BJP support in 2005 ending Lalu raj. Nitish broke up with BJP in 2013 when Modi was declared as PM candidate. He felt that his authority was being challenged in Bihar. He made Jitan Ram Manjhi as his successor. By 2015, he removed Manjhi ro became CM himself when he saw that Manji was trying to assert himself. He then formed a grand alliance with RJD and Congress to become CM again.
In 2017, he returned to the NDA fold when he ditched Lalu Prasad as charges of corruption against the latter swirled and there reports of Lalu issuing diktats. BjP supported him to become CM again and fought 2020 elections under his leadership. Even though, all this while his party had scored less number of seats, BJP made chief minister.
However two years later, he left NDA to join hands with Lalu's RJD when he witnessed that there attempts again by the BJP state unit to question his authority. Even before he could complete two years, he has broken up again with the RJD and also exit the INDIA alliance as his stature was not honoured.
There were reports that he wanted to be convenor of the alliance but the allies dithered. Even within in his own party, he has not allowed anyone to match him in his stature or appear to replace him in future. Likes of Prashant Kishore, RCP Singh and Lallan Singh were shown the door.
As Nitish allies with the BJP, Modi's campaign for the 2024 elections have got a boost in the Hindi heartland state where it needed a an ally. BJP despite it's presence in the state was to produce a mass leader who could offer challenge to Lalu-Nitish's pan Bihar appeal. It was precieved as upper caste party.
The 2024 battle has once again become interesting with fast changing dynamics especially in the Opposition camp.
Last time, he had remarked that he would die than go back to the BJP. The saffron party reciprocated the feeling saying they will never take him back even he ever asked them so. But in politics there are no permanent allies or opponents and no one has proved it better than Nitish himself.
He may take oath as chief minister of Bihar for the ninth time, the highest ever by any CM in the country. He resigned from the post on Sunday.
With Nitish exiting the INDIA alliance, the social justice plank including caste census as a counter to Modi's appeal is set to suffer a dent. An engineering graduate, who rose to political prominence during the JP movement along with Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan.
In deeply fractured polity of Bihar, he was credited with social.engineeeing as he empowered not only his caste but extremely backward. Nitish continues to be an engima outside his state as he chartered his political journey - from being a champion of social justice and secularism to siding with the BJP's pro-hindutva cause.
Nitish who served as Railways minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government has proved to be a deft player as he has managed to cement his place as prime mover in the state with clean image and delivering good governance, which no other leader in Bihar has managed to carve coupled with acceptability in masses.
A look at his dalliance with RJD and BJP would reveal that he brooks no opposition when it comes to anyone posing a challenge. He may keep quiet but never forgets slight or insult. He broke with Lalu to form his own party in 1994. He had become CM with BJP support in 2005 ending Lalu raj. Nitish broke up with BJP in 2013 when Modi was declared as PM candidate. He felt that his authority was being challenged in Bihar. He made Jitan Ram Manjhi as his successor. By 2015, he removed Manjhi ro became CM himself when he saw that Manji was trying to assert himself. He then formed a grand alliance with RJD and Congress to become CM again.
In 2017, he returned to the NDA fold when he ditched Lalu Prasad as charges of corruption against the latter swirled and there reports of Lalu issuing diktats. BjP supported him to become CM again and fought 2020 elections under his leadership. Even though, all this while his party had scored less number of seats, BJP made chief minister.
However two years later, he left NDA to join hands with Lalu's RJD when he witnessed that there attempts again by the BJP state unit to question his authority. Even before he could complete two years, he has broken up again with the RJD and also exit the INDIA alliance as his stature was not honoured.
There were reports that he wanted to be convenor of the alliance but the allies dithered. Even within in his own party, he has not allowed anyone to match him in his stature or appear to replace him in future. Likes of Prashant Kishore, RCP Singh and Lallan Singh were shown the door.
As Nitish allies with the BJP, Modi's campaign for the 2024 elections have got a boost in the Hindi heartland state where it needed a an ally. BJP despite it's presence in the state was to produce a mass leader who could offer challenge to Lalu-Nitish's pan Bihar appeal. It was precieved as upper caste party.
The 2024 battle has once again become interesting with fast changing dynamics especially in the Opposition camp.
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