With JD(U) now officially a part of NDA, responsibilities for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar increases. A national executive meeting of JD(U) was held in Patna on Saturday and Nitish there announced the party to be a part of NDA.
Although the government in Bihar is in coalition with BJP, Nitish has only two members in the Lok Sabha and nine in the Rajya Sabha, including two rebels Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar. His party may get two ministerial berths in the union ministry. While addressing the meeting Nitish clearly indicated his awareness about the challenge he is going to face after joining NDA. He also did not miss a chance to point out that Bihar will in future need the support of NDA for its development. He even thanked the government for the immediate help given for the flood hit areas in Bihar.
According to a party source, Nitish may soon be offered the post of convener within the NDA. In his statement to ET, a JD(U) leader said that “Kumar is considered to be a liberal face within the NDA camp. As a convener, he would be in a better position to deal with regional forces in different states.” He further added that Nitish is one of the leaders who is in direct contact with higher commands in BJP and hence has more chance of easily handling all the union ministers who are from Bihar. The NDA-led government, on the other hand, has also tactfully played its political move by including Nitish in NDA, keeping in mind the voters he can get in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2019.
While Kumar has the responsibility to ensure that the NDA puts up a good show in Bihar in the coming LS polls and an NDA ally, Kumar is expected to extract maximum help from the central government to expedite his development agenda in the state. “If he becomes convener of NDA, he would get the opportunity to frequently meet BJP national president Amit Shah to discuss the NDA’s political strategies. It would be an advantage for him to seek his help in case there is any delay in centrally-sponsored schemes meant for Bihar,” the source further added.
But with Sharad Yadav indicating a split in the party on the grounds of feeling ditched by Notish on forming the new government in Bihar in alliance with BJP things may not be very easy for Nitish. Sharad may also form a third party in coalition with RJD–Congress withholding the mandate of the people of Bihar which they have given to Nitish Kumar while forming the mahagathbadhan.