After a gap of 21 years, Nitish Kumar virtually bade goodbye to Bihar politics. All eyes are now on who will become the next chief minister.
Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of all his party MLAs, MLCs and MPs at his official residence on Friday evening, where he is expected to outline his future steps.
Nitish Kumar filed his nomination for Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. He is all set to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet as a minister.
Home Minister Amit Shah, in his speech in Patna, praised Nitish Kumar for his governance. Shah said, the people of Bihar will forever remember Nitish Kumar’s contribution to public welfare.
Since 2005, ten governments changed, alliances changed, deputy chief ministers changed, but Nitish Kumar continued to serve as chief minister. Naturally, people in Bihar are finding it difficult to accept why Nitish Kumar resigned three months after being sworn in for a record tenth time.
After filing his RS nomination, Nitish Kumar said he would devote much of his time to national politics in Delhi. He however promised that his link with the people of Bihar will continue. Nitish said, any new government that will be formed in Bihar will get his support and guidance.
Amit Shah hurriedly left for Delhi soon after Nitish Kumar filed his nomination, but before leaving, Shah made some remarks.
Two points clearly emerged from his remarks: One, Nitish era in Bihar is now over and BJP will now play the role of Big Brother. Two, BJP will have its first chief minister in Bihar.
Talks are already on between BJP and Janata Dal(United) on forming a new government and the picture will be clear in the next three or four days.
In the last 35 years, Bihar has seen the faces of two titans in politics – Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar.
Both had to take the back seat because of poor health.
Lalu was sentenced to imprisonment on charges of corruption. Nitish never faced any charge of corruption.
Lalu consistently tried to make his son Tejashwi the chief minister. Nitish deliberately kept away his son Nishant Kumar from active politics.
Lalu Yadav’s rule witnessed ‘jungle raj’. Nitish Kumar tried to create the image of “Sushaasan Babu”.
One rarely finds such striking contrasts in politics. That is why Nitish Kumar’s decision to leave for Delhi is going to create a vacuum in Bihar politics. It will be a big challenge for anybody who will take his seat.
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