Bihar Politics: When BJP was shaken by Nitish Kumar’s anger, 11 ministers were dismissed overnight.

Patna: In the politics of Bihar, the issue of vacating the government bungalow after the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister or ministers step down from the post has always been a cause of great rivalry between the ruling party and the opposition. But the most interesting and high-voltage drama in the political history of Bihar was seen in the year 2013. This was the period when the then Chief Minister Nitish Kumar suddenly broke the NDA alliance and dismissed the ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party from the government. After this, Nitish Kumar had saved his government without BJP and with the support of independent MLAs. After this decision, 11 BJP ministers including the then Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi had to approach the court to save their bungalows. Let us know the complete inside story of that time, when Nitish Kumar’s anger brought BJP ministers straight from power to the streets.

What happened in that political period of 2013?

The story begins in the year 2013, when a major change was taking place in the country’s politics. Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, was fast emerging as the prime ministerial face of the BJP across the country. On the other hand, LK Advani, the most favorite and close leader of Nitish Kumar, was gradually being sidelined from the mainstream politics of BJP. Nitish Kumar was not liking this growing stature of Narendra Modi and ignoring Advani ji at all. This was the main reason due to which Nitish Kumar had decided to break the years-old relationship with BJP by opposing Narendra Modi’s claim for the post of PM. Amidst this tension, when the ministers were asked to vacate the bungalow, all the 11 ministers of BJP under the leadership of Sushil Kumar Modi had moved the court against it.

Why did Nitish Kumar turn red and yellow?

In fact, when the politics of Atal-Advani era started being sidelined within BJP, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar became very angry. In April 2013, Nitish had given a tough ultimatum to BJP that the name of the Prime Ministerial candidate should be officially announced by December 2013. But even before December came, on June 9 of the same year, a very important meeting of the BJP National Executive was held in Goa. Lal Krishna Advani did not attend this meeting and it was here that the entire command of the campaign committee for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections was handed over to Narendra Modi.

Angered by this announcement in Goa, Lal Krishna Advani resigned from all the key posts of BJP. Here in Bihar, Nitish Kumar was furious after seeing the growing influence of Narendra Modi and his extensive campaign. Nitish Kumar had given a clear indication through his statements and gestures that he will not become a silent spectator of this big change taking place within the BJP and will kick the alliance if necessary. However, at that time Advani ji intervened and requested Nitish Kumar to remain in the alliance and assured that Narendra Modi has not become the PM candidate yet.

Then came that historic day of 16th June 2013.

Even after assurance from Lal Krishna Advani, Nitish Kumar was not satisfied. He was deeply disappointed by the factionalism and infighting going on within the BJP. The truth was that Nitish Kumar was not at all ready to accept Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. As a result, Nitish Kumar did not even consider it necessary to wait for his own ultimatum i.e. till December. After this, on June 16, 2013, Nitish Kumar gave a shocking decision, which created a stir in the political circles of the entire country. He broke ties with BJP and showed all its 11 ministers out of the cabinet and after this the famous controversy of vacating the bungalows of ministers started.