Are Nitish Kumar and Modi coming closer?
Nitish Kumar's decision to break ranks with alliance partners Lalu Prasad and Congress, besides friend Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee, to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation, may have created some ripples in the political circles.
But does that mean Nitish Kumar is getting closer to Narendra Modi? Is this a harbinger of things to come?
Though things between Lalu and Nitish may not be as idyllic as they appear on the surface, but those frequenting political corridors in Bihar are not squinting or exchanging distant glances - not yet at least.
"There is nothing sizeable that Narendra Modi can offer to Nitish Kumar - neither now nor in future - what he does not already have," says a senior JD(U) leader.
Nitish Kumar is already a chief minister for over a decade, and though he may not have as much of leeway with Lalu as he had with the BJP in the past, the JD(U) president is very unlikely to switch sides.
After all, what will he gain?
"BJP cannot make Nitish a prime ministerial candidate of the NDA. Although he may become one if he stays on in the Opposition," says a JD(U) politician.
Let's take a look at Nitish Kumar's profile.
In a four-decade long career, he has completed over a decade as a chief minister, besides having four innings in the Union Cabinet.
His has been a career shaped by pragmatism, fired by opportunities, weathered by years and toil, and, more importantly, unblemished by taint.
Why would he let go all of it to be on the same side with the BJP? So why did Nitish Kumar back the prime minister's move of scraping Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes even before the demonetisation decision sunk in and triggered a public support? Because it made a perfect political sense.
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| To top it all, the avowed objective behind demonetisation is in sync with Nitish Kumar's campaign against corruption. (Photo credit: PTI) |
The Bihar chief minister was quick to assess the public mood.
Having always supported strong steps to weed out black money, Nitish knew that such a huge step against black money needed to be backed.
Besides, it was also an opportunity to seize. With no tall leader from Opposition camp backing the step, Nitish Kumar's stand, says his partymen, will further carve out a national image for him as someone who rises above petty politics on issues of public interest.
To top it all, the avowed objective behind demonetisation is in sync with Nitish Kumar's campaign against corruption.
Having earlier brought Bihar Special Court Act to seize properties of a corruption-accused in Bihar, Nitish also knows how much of an overwhelming support he has received from people in the past.
Incidentally, this is not the first time when Nitish Kumar has travelled off the beaten track. Even while he was in the NDA, Nitish had supported UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee for the president.
Nitish Kumar has also walked his talk. He has done everything to stand taller in the company of Lalu Prasad, who incidentally has 80 MLAs in Bihar assembly against JD(U)'s 72.
From successfully challenging bails of RJD politicians Shahabuddin and Raj Ballabh Yadav to implementing a tough liquor law, Nitish Kumar has of late shown a proclivity to stay rooted to his image of an honest politician and protect his USP - law and order - in a bid to undo criticism of a government.
It restores people's faith in him as a man of "good governance", besides sending out a strong message to alliance partner RJD that the CM cannot be pushed beyond a point.
Nitish Kumar is capable of ditching a partner. But he will not do it unless he is forced to like BJP did in 2013 by choosing Narendra Modi - someone who was non-negotiable for the Bihar chief minister - to be NDA's face.
Even today, Nitish and Lalu could be seen competing against each other, each at times putting their foot down on issues that mattered to them. Their silent one-upmanship resumes every day.
The name of the game could be cut-throat, where one evades, and another covers his tracks, but neither Lalu nor Nitish will like to be seen as the deserter.
Nitish must be in search of higher success, or a tangible one, that he obviously believes was his destiny.
(Courtesy of Mail Today.)