Nitish Kumar, JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister, is losing ground not because of an anti-incumbency wave , lack of a development model or corruption. It seems he lacks political savvy. He was a hero to many not long ago. He had made the state safer and had brought about pro-people development. He was even projected as a prime ministerial candidate. But he has suddenly suffered a setback. It was hasty to break up the alliance with BJP. Congress tried to rope him in but he wanted a special status for Bihar and hold a yatra. BJP tied up with LJD. Congress did the same with RJD. BJP is making a heavy dent in Nitish’s caste vote bank. Narendra Modi has been seriously trying to cut into Nitish’s kurmi stronghold. Nitish’s blame game against BJP will not cut much ice.
Nitish has encouraged education among girls in the state. But large swathes of land in Bihar are underdeveloped. The backward classes live in medieval darkness. Bihar’s social indices are very low. Nitish has failed in extracting any mileage from the third front bid with the Left Front putting its thumbs down. There are differences in his own party. Some members are not keen on democratic values. He seems to run a one man show and is said to have given nominations to turncoats. Some senior members have already left his organization. Nitish Kumar languishes in isolation. Whether or not it is a good thing to be out of the game of cobbling together alliances of diverse parties, his voice in Delhi has trailed away.
