Bihar: BJP Adheres To Coalition Dharma
Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
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By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2020-11-16 13:28:35
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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.
View all posts by this Author
The BJP has learnt its lessons well. Despite getting many more seats than the JD(U) in the recent Bihar elections, the NDA legislature alliance in the state unanimously elected Nitish Kumar as its leader. Kumar is now set to become the chief minister of the state for the fourth time. After its bitter experience with the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, when the regional party left the NDA to seal an alliance with the NCP and the Congress to form the government because it said that the BJP was reneging on a pre-poll understanding of giving the chief ministership to Uddhav Thackeray by rotation, the BJP has realized that pre-poll agreements and commitments have to be honoured to keep alliances going. Hence, despite becoming the senior partner by winning a bigger number of seats, it has adhered to the coalition dharma by making Nitish Kumar the chief minister as promised.
But Nitish will have two deputies from the BJP breathing down his neck. Also, the BJP is likely to corner most important portfolios and reduce the role of JD(U) legislators in the government. Further, despite their four seats each, both HAM and VIP will have to be given important portfolios to keep them in good humour as their continued backing are very important for the alliance. Since the LJP has done well in pockets, the NDA would do well to bring it back in the fold. But given the fact that it caused losses for the JD(U), it is doubtful whether Nitish will allow that.
The best thing that the BJP has done is to shift senior state leader and deputy chief minister in the outgoing government, Sushil Modi, to the Centre. With the excellent performance of the state unit, Modi might have had ambitions to succeed Nitish as the chief minister. But by making him a minister at the Centre, the party high command has nipped the chances of a revolt in the state unit in the bud. The BJP now needs to build on the excellent performance in the recent polls and make the party capable enough of winning on its own in state elections. Although it is a difficult task given the states' caste-ridden politics, the party can do its calculations and reduce its dependence on regional outfits. But that is only possible if the newly elected government runs smoothly and the BJP has its ministers in key portfolios. Despite his repeated statements that Nitish will be chief minister if NDA wins, Sushil Modi could have created problems for Nitish. His elevation to the Central ministry is a good move.
But since the margin of victory was very thin, the new government will have to work overtime to regain the trust of the people and fight the anti-incumbency. Nitish Kumar made many mistakes in the last few years, especially during the pandemic period. The major grievance of the people, as expressed in the various media surveys, is that there are not enough jobs. The new government will have to make Bihar an investor-friendly destination and invite industries. It will have to build infrastructure and ensure that the migrant workers who wish to remain close to their families get jobs in the state. There is enough potential in Bihar - land is available and there are natural and human resources in abundance. The need is for a proactive government. Nitish 4.0, actively backed by the BJP, should focus on industrialization to fulfill the aspirations of the youth.
