The political turmoil in Bihar has not only shook the state’s politics but also have the grounds taken away from under the feets of opposition parties.
Nitish Kumar was the only hope Congress was holding on to as a competitor of Modi for 2019 polls but it seems like Nitish’s decision leaves opposition with no choice now. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday night opened the Pandora’s box of possibilities for strengthening BJP by breaking the alliance with RJD and joining hands with BJP once again. He took the oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Thursday morning with his new government.
This ditching has shaken the opposition badly, while on one hand RJD is possibly washed out from politics, on the other hand, BJP has one more state in its pocket.
Though Nitish joined NDA but he announced his support to the oppositions Vice-Presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi. Responding to this NCP general secretary Tariq Anwar on Friday urged Gopalkrishna to publicly deny the votes of JD(U). He said that “My suggestion to combined Opposition vice-presidential candidate Gopalkrishna Gandhi ji, who is a man of high principles and integrity, is that he must publicly state that he is declining, that he does not want the votes of JDU MPs in view of Nitish Kumar and his party ditching Opposition and betraying secular politics to cross over to the Narendra Modi-led NDA and forming a government in Bihar along with BJP.”
Anwar’s request to Gandhi though not directly targeted but comes in connection with Gandhi statement where he said “I would like to believe there is no change in the JDU decision to support my candidature.” Anwar also stated that it is time to rise above mere calculations of votes and take a stand for principles by boycotting the support of foes disguised as friends.