Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attended an event organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Patna to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, founder and leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move has led to speculation about Kumar’s political affiliations, particularly his proximity to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The event coincided with the 110th birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister and party patriarch Chaudhary Devi Lal, celebrated by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Kaithal. Born on September 25, 1916, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s legacy holds significance in the BJP’s ideological history.
Kumar’s participation in the Patna event has fueled discussions about his alignment with the NDA. However, he downplayed these speculations, stating, “We respect everyone. It was decided by the government to observe Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Jayanti as a state program. We are working for everyone. We will continue to do development work like this in the future.”
Furthermore, Kumar denied that his attendance signified his proximity to the NDA, emphasizing his role in unifying the opposition. “You all know, I have been working to unite the opposition. I have nothing to do with what others say,” the Chief Minister stated.
Regarding his visit to Kaithal, Kumar claimed ignorance and remarked, “I keep on going everywhere.”
It’s noteworthy that when Kumar was part of the NDA alliance before 2022, it was the Bihar government that declared Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Jayanti as a state function.
The INLD had invited several prominent leaders from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc to the Kaithal event, including Nitish Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, among others.
Kumar’s attendance at the Deen Dayal Jayanti program is seen as a subtle move to exert pressure on his alliance partners as discussions about seat-sharing for the upcoming elections draw nearer.
Political commentators suggest that Nitish Kumar, known for his non-partisan approach, is sending a message to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other opposition parties that if he is not allocated a fair share, he is not averse to considering alternative political alignments.
This development comes amid reports that Kumar has encountered challenges in securing the desired number of seats for his party in the INDIA alliance, adding intrigue to the evolving political landscape in Bihar.
Sources By Agencies