DNA Exclusive: Was BJP aware of Nitish Kumar's flip-flop plan but did not stop him?

Dumping the NDA to go back to the Mahagathbandhan has once again prompted Nitish Kumar’s critics to use the ‘Paltu Ram’ moniker instead of ‘Sushasan Babu’ for him. 

It is owing to Kumar’s frequent flip-flops that there is a major truth deficit towards him, not just in the Mahagathbandhan camp but in the BJP as well. Sources claim that the BJP was well aware of the Kumar’s move and despite that, it neither tried to contact him nor made any efforts to placate convince him to stay in the NDA fold. 

Political commentator Amitabh Tiwari opines that the reason why BJP stopped making efforts to placate Kumar was that he “never listened to anyone”. 

Tiwari said that the BJP’s strategy now is to expose Kumar and take away his vote bank in Bihar. As the BJP has been trying to expand its base in the state and place its own CM, the party knew that it would not grow with Kumar at the helm, he added.

DNA Exclusive: Time for Nitish Kumar to be decisive once again, but it’s not going to be easy this time

Experts believe that the BJP was aware of the JD(U) chief’s national ambitions and that he was vying to become the PM face of the opposition. 

Speaking to DNA India, political expert Dr Suvrokamal Dutta said that the BJP tried to placate Kumar is all possible ways, which was evident from the fact that he was made the chief minister despite his party winning only 43 seats, against the BJP’s 74. 

“The Modi Govt gave enough of projects and aid for the development of Bihar what more did he expect . His soul ambition is to be a PM Candidate in 2024 with that in mind he played this  chameleon politics today,” Dutta said.  

DNA Exclusive: Will Nitish Kumar’s latest flip-flop hurt BJP’s 2024 poll prospects?

It is believed that Kumar was already apprehensive that the BJP may dump his party after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls on its own. 

The political turnaround in Maharashtra seems to have acted as the last straw, prompting a suspicious Kumar to make the move to go back to the Mahagathbandhan. He was reportedly suspicious that the BJP would split his party and install a CM they can control. 

With Kumar rejoining hands with the RJD and nine other parties, the BJP will focus on all 243 constituencies of the state.

For Kumar, the centrestage of national politics and holding the same power in Bihar will not be an easy road given the fact that the JD(U) is a much weaker party than it was in 2017. It had 71 seats then, it has just 45 now. On the other hand, the RJD has become stronger and now stands at 80 seats. Also, the anti-incumbency Kumar is stronger than ever before.