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Bihar Deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha reportedly remarked that while the BJP respects NDA dynamics, Nitish Kumar leading the alliance was a decision which might need a deeper deliberation. He hinted at dissatisfaction within the BJP over the lack of consensus on the matter
Senior JD(U) leaders have stressed that Nitish Kumar’s leadership was unanimously agreed upon during high-level discussions over the upcoming assembly election. (PTI file photo)
Rumblings in BJP’s Bihar unit have become evident following senior party leader and the Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha’s remarks about Nitish Kumar being the face of the NDA alliance in the upcoming assembly elections due next year.
Sinha’s comments have exposed an unease within the BJP ranks in the state, while several party insiders later expressed their reservations over the alliance’s decision to project the state’s chief minister as the leader of the alliance.
However, the senior JD(U) leaders were quick to dismiss Sinha’s remarks, insisting that there was no discord within the alliance. They further claimed that the central leadership of the BJP and its top brass are quite ‘in sync’ with Nitish Kumar and his strategy, which is needed to win the election.
To reinforce this claim, senior JD(U) leaders released posters featuring Nitish Kumar alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sending a strong message that both leaders are on the same page. The leaders said the NDA would fight the upcoming state elections under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, aiming to quell any doubts and present a united front.
Reacting to Sinha’s statements that sparked a political stir, a senior JD(U) leader told News 18, “There is no rift in the alliance. There is no difference of opinion either. Some senior leaders may express their personal opinion, but the central leadership and the top brass of the BJP are absolutely in sync with Nitish Kumar ji. In Bihar, elections cannot be fought without making Nitish Kumar the leader”.
Balancing Allies
Sinha reportedly remarked that while the BJP respects alliance dynamics, Nitish Kumar leading the NDA was a decision which might need a deeper deliberation. He hinted at dissatisfaction within sections of the BJP over the lack of consensus on the matter. “We need to ensure that our workers and supporters are fully aligned with the decision. Alliance politics is about unity, but it must also reflect mutual respect,” Sinha had said.
Senior JD(U) leaders, however, stressed that Kumar’s leadership was unanimously agreed upon during high-level discussions over the upcoming assembly elections and that any individual grievances would be ironed out in due course.
“Nitish Kumar ji has led Bihar through thick and thin, and we believe that NDA will achieve resounding success under his leadership,” another senior JD(U) leader stated.
Meanwhile, the BJP insiders argue that the party’s decision to project Nitish Kumar as the alliance’s face risks alienating its core support-base, many of whom still remain skeptical of Nitish Kumar’s commitment to BJP’s ideological goals.
The alleged disconnect among the party cadres also highlight a larger challenge for the BJP which include its ways of balancing alliance politics while keeping the expectations of its cadre, particularly in a state like Bihar where caste dynamics and regional loyalties play a crucial role in electoral outcomes.
