Nishant will not become Deputy CM, ‘Nitish’s move in Bihar politics surprised everyone!
The biggest question in Bihar politics for the last few days was whether Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar would take over as Deputy Chief Minister? By the afternoon of 14 April, speculations were rife and every effort was being made to convince him, but ultimately Nishant Kumar did not accept the post. Nitish Kumar’s own political credentials and future strategy are hidden behind this decision. Let us understand in detail why Nishant Kumar took this big decision and what will be the future of JDU now.
A big effort to avoid the stain of nepotism The biggest reason for Nishant Kumar not becoming Deputy CM is the label of ‘familism’. If sources are to be believed, Nishant believes that if he directly joins the government, he will also be accused of nepotism like Tejashwi Yadav or Deepak Prakash. He does not want to start his politics with these allegations. Nitish Kumar himself has been attacking the nepotism of Lalu family throughout his political innings. He often says in his speeches that before 2005 there was nothing in Bihar and when power was removed, his wife was made the CM. Nitish does not want the same finger pointed at his son which he has been pointing at others.
Respect for experience and seniority By keeping Nishant Kumar out of the government, Nitish Kumar has given a big message to the senior leaders of his party. Now two experienced faces from JDU quota will take over the responsibility of Deputy Chief Minister. These include senior leader of Yadav community Bijendra Prasad Yadav and experienced leader of Bhumihar community Vijay Kumar Chaudhary. Both these leaders have been old and trusted companions of Nitish Kumar. Keeping Nishant aside, Nitish made it clear that for now seniority and experience will be given importance in the party.
Nishant’s real challenge is to save the vote bank. At this time, saving Nitish Kumar’s vote bank is more important than the post of Deputy CM. Nitish Kumar’s main base has been Kurmi, Mahadalit, EBC and some Muslim-Dalit sections. For the last several years, this vote bank of about 16% has stood firmly with Nitish, no matter who the alliance is with. Now the real test for Nishant Kumar is to keep this support base connected with JDU in future. At present JDU has 85 MLAs and 12 MPs, which shows the strength of the party.
What will Nishant do next: Preparing to go among the public Sources close to Nishant’s team say that he wants to work on the ground instead of tasting power directly. His plan is to visit Bihar so that he can understand the problems of the people, the nuances of government functioning and politics. He wants to establish himself as an independent leader and not just ‘Nitish’s son’. They know that coming directly into the government without political experience can damage the image of JDU, which opposition parties like RJD and Congress can take advantage of.
Is JDU’s influence decreasing? The politics of Bihar has always revolved around three axes, in which the third axis has been led by Nitish Kumar for the last 23 years. Will the party be affected by Nishant not joining the government? Experts believe that now the equation of power has changed. JDU, which always held the post of Chief Minister, now has to be content with the post of Deputy Chief Minister. Although the party will not end, its influence in power may definitely appear to be less than before. Now it remains to be seen how much strength Nishant Kumar can give to the party without holding any government post.
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