Apprehensions of a BJP volte face at the last minute have been dispelled and Nitish Kumar is re-elected as Chief Minister of Bihar for another term. The swearing-in takes place on Monday. Kumar obviously has crossed the first post, but hurdles are bound to remain for as long as he continues in this position.
While the term is for five years, anything could happen midway through this run. The electoral arithmetic predicts as much. Even then, this is a remarkable credit for a politician that he is still wanted for such a top post. His Sushasan Babu image, one of “good governance”, apparently keeps him going though there have of late been spectacular set-backs to him and his JDU.
The majority for the new government is wafer-thin. But, having reached this far, the BJP can be trusted to keep the show going in a stronger manner because of the clout the national party enjoys and its propensity to poach on legislators from rival political formations with relative ease. This was evident in Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere too. For some reason, the party allowed others to take the wind out of its sails in Maharashtra after the assembly results came up with a fractured verdict.
Caste equations that weighed heavy in Bihar politics for long years have changed. Though a Backward Class returned as CM, upper castes through the instrument of the BJP will call larger shots in the ministry. The Nitish Kumar ministries have been reaching out to all segments of the population but a pro-BC tilt was suspected; this being more so during the previous Lalu family term of 15 years. Now, a substantial number of forward community members have been elected to the assembly and several of them would become ministers.
It remains to be seen how long the 69-year-old Kumar will remain in the saddle, given the weak positioning of his party and the chances of BJP raising its strength further. Yet, it is not out of context to urge the CM that he would need to take governance more seriously. He has developed a lethargy, which the voters have noticed. Bihar requires faster progress. It is the third least- urbanised state. This means that job opportunities are fewer; forcing large sections of youths to reach out to other states for work.
Kumar’s contributions towards social progress are worthy of praise; but there has been too little economic heft or progress. It is here that the new government should concentrate better on now.
