JDU’s national executive meeting was held in Delhi. In this meeting, Lalan Singh had to resign from the post of National President just 4 months before the Lok Sabha elections. Nitish Kumar himself took the responsibility of this post. It was said that the closeness between Lalan Singh and Lalu Yadav had increased a lot. Lalan Singh was pressurizing Nitish to remain in INDIA Alliance. For this reason, Nitish Kumar took command just before the elections.
Nitish Kumar formed his new team of 21 people from JDU party. JDU removed the names of 6 out of 7 people close to Lalan Singh from this list. Also, Nitish Kumar formed a new team of his trusted people. It was said that Nitish Kumar had made this change in the party before taking any major decision.
Nitish Kumar changed the portfolios of 3 senior ministers from RJD quota. He made Land Reforms and Revenue Minister Alok Mehta the Education Minister. At the same time, Lalit Yadav was made Land Reforms and Revenue Minister and Chandrashekhar was made Sugarcane Minister by changing his department from Education Minister.
The inauguration ceremony of Shri Ram Janaki Medical College was held in Samastipur. CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav had arrived in it. When Nitish Kumar was giving speech, slogans of Tejashwi Zindabad were being raised below the stage. Tejashwi did not even once ask the people raising slogans to remain calm. Nitish Kumar went back after giving speech for just 10 minutes.
The cabinet meeting ended in just 15 minutes. The ministers and officers could not even finish breakfast. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came down from the lift and Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav came down from the stairs of the Secretariat.
On December 13, Nitish Kumar had said that he will fight the 2025 elections under the leadership of Tejashwi. It is believed that the pressure on him to leave the post of CM for Tejashwi was increasing. The path ahead was becoming difficult for Nitish. Seeing the wind in favor of BJP after the consecration of Ram temple, JDU has just decided to join NDA.
It was told in the opinion poll that if JDU and RJD contest the Lok Sabha elections along with other grand alliance parties, then JDU will suffer the most. BJP can win 20 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats. Whereas Chirag Paswan can win 3 seats and Upendra Kushwaha’s party RLJP can win one seat.
In this way, NDA is expected to get 24 seats. At the same time, RJD can win 7 seats while Congress can win 2 seats. JDU is expected to win only 7 Lok Sabha seats. Meaning, the number of JDU MPs may reduce from 16 to 7.
The BJP-led NDA alliance may get 16 to 18 seats in the Lok Sabha elections to be held in 2024. At the same time, the India Alliance formed by including all the opposition parties including JDU, RJD, Congress is estimated to get 21 to 23 seats. At the same time, it is estimated that the account of others will go from zero to 2 seats.
- Caste equation: Caste politics i.e. caste card is very important in Bihar. These include castes like Koeri, Kurmi, Nishad, Nai, Teli. Nitish Kumar’s JDU party has the maximum hold on this vote bank. BJP wants to cultivate this vote bank at any cost in the Lok Sabha elections. Awarding Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur is also a part of this exercise.
- Trying to break the INDIA Alliance: BJP is trying to break the INDIA Alliance completely before the Lok Sabha elections. Nitish Kumar is one of the big leaders of INDIA alliance. He wants to give a strong blow to the alliance by breaking Nitish Kumar.
- Stopping Tejashwi from becoming CM: BJP is now thinking ahead. She wants to stop Tejashwi from becoming CM at any cost. This is the reason why BJP has no objection if Nitish Kumar has to be made CM once again.
Now what are the further options visible in the politics of Bihar…
- Nitish Kumar to take oath as Chief Minister for the 9th time: There is a possibility that Nitish Kumar’s party may separate from the INDIA alliance. Nitish Kumar should resign from the post of CM and then with the support of BJP, he should take oath as CM for the 9th time.
- Assembly should be dissolved: BJP would now like to go with JDU on its own terms. If BJP does not make Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister then they can dissolve the Assembly. He himself can remain the acting CM. Or President’s rule may be imposed in the state. If this happens, assembly elections will be held along with Lok Sabha.
- Lalu Yadav should gather 8 MLAs and form the government: Lalu Yadav would like to break JDU and form his own government. There are 115 MLAs including Congress, RJD and Left and one independent. In such a situation, RJD will need only 8 more MLAs.
- Nitish should go with NDA, but the Chief Minister should become BJP: It is also being speculated that Nitish Kumar should join NDA keeping the Lok Sabha in mind. Chief Minister should be made from BJP. Later Nitish Kumar should be given the post of Governor or a senior Union Minister. However, there is little possibility that Nitish will leave the post of CM.
