Nitish Kumar stirs support pot

In a surcharged political atmosphere with all kinds of speculation in the air, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s statement about supporting anyone who gives a special status to his state generated much excitement on Friday.

Many saw it as a setback to the NDA. The Congress seized the “opportunity” to promptly promise to fulfil the demand.

The JD(U) leader, speaking at the release of his book Special Category Status — A Case for Bihar, said, “I am clear about extending support to any party or alliance that will grant special category status to Bihar.” He said PM Manmohan Singh had earlier refused the state the status but he was keeping his options open and his eye on the PM’s post.

Nitish is enjoying the spotlight on him and a story doing the rounds in Patna is that he could become a consensus candidate for the PM’s job.

This is based on the logic that in a hung parliament, a “secular” face of the NDA would be an acceptable PM candidate to parties such as the TDP who are sure to be uncomfortable with signs of the Left coming around to support a Congress-led government.

In the midst of being wooed by many parties, Nitish has maintained that he is a part of the NDA whose PM candidate is LK Advani. The BJP sought to read the statement in its favour by hinting that as the two parties were in alliance in the state, an NDA government at the Centre was more likely to provide a special package to Bihar.     
BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar pointed out that the CM was only reiterating an issue Advani raised at a rally in Bihar on April 10.

Amid this, NDA leaders have been meeting at Advani’s residence in Delhi since Friday morning to discuss options. BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley is in touch with Mayawati and Venkaiah Naidu is talking to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.

The BJP is consulting RSS leaders as well, with Suresh Soni also meeting Advani on Friday. Indian National Lok Dal leader Om Prakash Chautala called on Advani at his residence and Janata Dal (United) Sharad Yadav, Shiromani Akali Dal, Asom Gana Parishad and TRS leaders were expected to meet BJP leaders.