Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar graced the commemoration of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s birth anniversary in Patna, an event organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), choosing to forgo the opposition gathering led by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Kaithal, celebrating the 110th birth anniversary of the former Deputy Prime Minister and party stalwart, Chaudhary Devi Lal.
Pandit Deendayal, born on September 25, 1916, was the visionary founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS), the precursor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Kumar’s presence at this event has inevitably fueled speculation regarding his alignment with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Nonetheless, Kumar deftly downplayed such conjecture, emphasizing, “We respect everyone. It was a government decision to observe Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Jayanti as a state program. We are committed to working for the welfare of all. Our commitment to developmental endeavors remains steadfast.”
Furthermore, Kumar dismissed any notions of his proximity to the NDA, stating, “As you are aware, I have been actively working to unite the opposition. I pay little heed to what others may assert.”
In reference to his Kaithal visit, Kumar maintained an air of detachment, stating, “I frequently engage in visits to various places.”
It is worth noting that during Kumar’s tenure as part of the alliance before 2022, it was the NDA government in Bihar that officially declared Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Jayanti as a state event.
The INLD extended invitations to a host of leaders within the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, including Kumar, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, and Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, among others.
In the midst of Kumar’s actions, the opposition BJP appears to have mixed reactions. BJP State President Samrat Chowdhary commended his visit, expressing, “It is a welcome step if he visited there after being inspired by the late Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s work.” However, Rajya Sabha MP and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi firmly stated, “Doors for Nitish Kumar are closed permanently, as declared twice by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He is a political liability and lacks the ability to secure vote transfers.”
On the other hand, another senior party luminary and former Assembly Speaker, Vijay Kumar Sinha, stressed that the BJP welcomes those leaders who align with nationalist ideologies.
Kumar’s attendance at the Deen Dayal Jayanti program is interpreted as a subtle tactic to exert pressure on his alliance partners as the crucial seat-sharing negotiations approach. “There is no denying that he (Kumar) is a leader with an open-minded approach. Nevertheless, his Monday appearance at the BJP ideologue anniversary event sends a clear message, particularly to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), that if a substantial share is not accorded, he remains open to exploring possibilities with the BJP,” remarked Prof. (Retired) N K Chowdhary, former Principal of Patna College and a prominent political analyst. Additionally, reports indicate that Kumar has encountered challenges in securing a seat allocation satisfactory to him within the INDIA alliance led by RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
