Amit Shah’s Virtual Rally: Will BJP dump Nitish Kumar Again?

Amit Shah in 2019 made it clear that BJP will contest election in Bihar as an ally of Nitish Kumar’s JDU and Nitish Kumar will be the face of NDA. BJP’s other alliance partner in partner Bihar, LJP under current Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan too accepted Nitish Kumar as the face of NDA in Bihar. However, one year down the line things look different. LJP is no more confident to have Nitish Kumar as the face of NDA in Bihar.

Bihar assembly election is due to be held in the month of October-November, 2020. On 6^th of June, Amit Shah kickstarted the Bihar election campaign with his virtual rally. BJP Bihar President Sanjay Jaiswal claimed that nearly 40 lakhs people in Bihar watched Amit Shah’s virtual rally.  However, the rally did not give any indication of BJP dumping JDU in Bihar but its other alliance partner LJP has expressed its reservation against Nitish Kumar.

Lok Janashakti Party President, Chirag Paswan in interview clearly said that he will back BJP if it looks for a change of face for NDA in Bihar. It must be noted that though JDU is in alliance with BJP in the state as well at the centre, the party President and Bihar CM has continuously been vocal against BJP on several occasions. The JD(U) chief also refused to accept any ministry in the Central cabinet offered to them after the 2019 Lok Sabha election victory. Chirag Paswan made an indirect appeal to the BJP leadership for change of face in Bihar for NDA and asserted that he and his party will back them in any decision they take. He expressed his displeasure on handling of migrants by the Bihar government during the current Corona crisis.

In recent times, Bihar government under Nitish Kumar have had several setbacks. In Muzaffarpur Bihar over 100 children lost their lives to Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES). There was a complete failure of state health department in handling the crisis. Similarly, Girls shelter home rape case is still ripe in the minds of people of Bihar. Added to it the handling of migrants by the Bihar government has given BJP some reasons to BJP to dump Nitish Kumar.

The Sushashan Babu failed to provide adequate support to the returning migrants who are estimated to be over 10 lakhs. The opposition is set to take up this failure of Nitish Kumar’s government and target them in the upcoming election rallies. BJP may have gotten some good reasons to break its ties with JDU once again and come up with a strong regional face for the upcoming Assembly election. However, one must not forget that in 2015, BJP fought against JDU led Mahagathbandhan and came distant 3rd in the state. Therefore, BJP severing ties will JDU will again take JDU closer to RJD and Congress. And this time Nitish may not return.