With the BJP falling way short of a majority in the Lok Sabha, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has emerged as a potential kingmaker with his party, the Janata Dal (United), having won two and leading in 10 Lok Sabha seats (till 7 pm ) in the State on June 4.
Contrary to poll predictions, the JD(U), which contested on 16 seats under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), is poised to win more seats than expected. Given his history of changing sides at key political moments, Mr. Kumar has become the most sought-after political leader now.
Another NDA member, the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is expected to win all five seats it contested — Hajipur (reserved), Vaishali, Samastipur, Khagaria and Jamui (reserved).
“It is a referendum on Mr. Kumar’s work for development in the State. He is vikas purush (development man) of the State for whom people have voted, reposed faith in him once again,” State JD(U) president Umesh Kushwaha said.
However, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader and Rajya Sabha member Manoj Jha recalled the role Mr. Kumar had played in the formation of the INDIA bloc.
“We’ve been formally in alliance with Nitish Kumar. We know he shares dislike for vendetta politics which the BJP stands for,” he said. A few days ago, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav had spoken about “a big political development in Bihar after the June 4 Lok Sabha results”.
JD(U) leaders told The Hindu that the party would remain with the NDA and await the alliance meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday. Party spokesperson KC Tyagi said that “the party is with NDA and will continue to be with NDA”.
Political analysts in the State said the JD(U)’s performance is a shot in the arm for the party. “With the JD(U) getting such a mandate in the poll, the party has definitely got a fresh lease of life,” said political commentator NK Choudhary.
“Mr. Kumar is a deft social engineer and has very meticulously carved out an Extremely Backward Class (EBC) support base, who are 36% of the population, and a non-Yadav OBC support for his party. It worked well in alliance with 6% Dalit voters of the State and in tandem with BJP’s upper caste vote bank,” he said.
“The RJD and Mahagathbandhan leaders failed to make a dent into Mr. Kumar’s core vote base of EBC, Dalits and non-Yadav OBCs along with the BJP’s upper caste support,” said political analyst Ajay Kumar.
Among the 40 seats in Bihar, NDA partner Rashtriya Lok Morcha’s leader Upendra Kushwaha lost the Karakat seat, while Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi won the Gaya (reserved) seat defeating Mahagathbandhan candidate Kumar Sarvajeet of the RJD.
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