Politics in Bihar has never been short of drama, intrigue, and sudden reversals. Yet, the latest development — the decision of Nitish Kumar to move to the Rajya Sabha, paving the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party to have its first Chief Minister in the state — marks more than a routine political transition. It signals a decisive shift in Bihar’s political landscape. For the first time since the BJP emerged as a dominant force in national politics, the party will finally have an official Chief Minister in Bihar — a state where it has repeatedly demonstrated electoral strength but exercised restraint in power sharing. The transition, notably, has been smooth and dignified. There has been no ugly public spat, no late-night defections, and no constitutional gymnastics. In fact, the arrangement appears justified on political arithmetic alone. The BJP has emerged as the single largest party not once but twice — both in the previous Assembly election and in the most recent one. In any functioning democracy, such an outcome naturally strengthens a party’s claim to lead the government. Yet, Bihar’s politics rarely follows a straight line. Only a few years ago, Nitish Kumar dramatically walked out of the BJP-led alliance, citing apprehensions that the BJP might attempt to lure away his MLAs. Those fears, however, proved exaggerated. The BJP did not indulge in the sort of destabilization that many predicted. Instead, it quietly allowed events to unfold. What followed is now part of contemporary political history. After breaking ties with the BJP, Nitish attempted to stitch together a formidable anti-BJP coalition. He even harboured ambitions of projecting himself as the Prime Ministerial face of a united opposition ahead of the general elections. But politics can be unforgiving to misplaced ambition. The Congress party quickly hijacked the idea. Not only was Nitish sidelined, he was effectively humiliated as the leadership of the opposition bloc was claimed by others. The alliance eventually took shape as the INDIA alliance, leaving Nitish Kumar politically diminished despite being its original architect. Meanwhile, the government he had formed rested heavily on the support of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, a party whose legacy continues to be shadowed by corruption scandals. Its founder, Lalu Prasad Yadav, remains synonymous with the infamous fodder scam and faces additional allegations in the “land-for-jobs” case linked to his tenure in the Railways.
For a leader like Nitish, who once built his reputation on governance and reform, the alliance increasingly appeared politically uncomfortable. Realising the strategic miscalculation, Nitish returned to the BJP-led camp just before the general elections — a move that stunned the opposition. The electorate seemed to approve of the course correction. The BJP–JDU combine performed strongly, once again confirming the BJP’s expanding base in the state. It is against this backdrop that the outrage expressed by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav sounds rather hollow. His accusation that Nitish Kumar has “betrayed the mandate” borders on political irony. The RJD itself has repeatedly benefited from post-election rearrangements of alliances. Comparing the BJP’s actions in Bihar to what happened in Maharashtra is equally misplaced. In both cases, it was not the BJP but its allies who walked away from pre-poll commitments — whether it was the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray in Maharashtra or shifting alliances within Bihar’s political theatre. If anything, the BJP has often shown unusual magnanimity in sharing power. It allowed Nitish Kumar to continue as Chief Minister even when his party had far fewer seats. In Maharashtra too, it ceded the Chief Minister’s post to the breakaway faction led by Eknath Shinde to restore stability. Seen in this context, the present transition appears less like political betrayal and more like political realism. Many observers believe that Nitish Kumar, also dealing with health concerns, has chosen a graceful exit from the rigours of state administration by accepting a Rajya Sabha role. In the process, he has opened the door for the BJP to lead Bihar directly while still ensuring his party’s relevance within the alliance. Reports suggest he has also negotiated space for his son’s entry into active politics — perhaps even a ministerial berth in the future. Whatever the calculations behind the move, the larger consequence could be significant. With the BJP now firmly in command, Bihar may finally witness a political shift away from the era dominated by caste arithmetic, corruption scandals, and the shadow of criminalised politics. If that transition truly takes root, this moment will not merely mark the rise of Bihar’s first BJP Chief Minister. It may well mark the beginning of the end for the politics that held the state back for decades.
