Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, in a definitive statement on Monday, categorically ruled out any possibility of his party, the JD(U), reuniting with the NDA, an alliance they had parted ways with a year ago. The BJP swiftly responded, with leader Sushil Kumar Modi, Kumar's former deputy, characterizing the JD(U) leader as a "political liability who had lost his momentum" and stating unequivocally that "he will not be reinstated even if he pleads for it."
This intriguing turn of events unfolded on the occasion of RSS ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary. Notably, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya was a prominent figure in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor of the BJP, and the RSS is recognized as the ideological precursor of various organizations, including the saffron party.
The incident took place at a park in Rajendra Nagar, where Kumar participated in a commemorative event traditionally organized by his government when it shared power with the BJP. Accompanying Kumar was his current deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, whose party, the RJD, takes pride in its unwavering opposition to the BJP.
Tejashwi Yadav, who offered floral tributes at Upadhyaya's statue, emphasized that despite his ideological differences, he did not oppose such formalities. When questioned about a statement attributed to him in the assembly, where he supposedly indicated discontinuing functions honoring RSS leaders upon assuming power, Yadav firmly refuted it, stating, "I have never said so."
Kumar has been attending events to pay his respects to figures such as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and former NDA finance minister Arun Jaitley, as he holds them in high regard despite not being a BJP member. Some political analysts suggest that several opposition leaders and parties maintain connections with the RSS while concurrently opposing the BJP, as part of a calculated political strategy.
In a lighter vein, during an interaction with journalists, the chief minister was asked whether he contemplated rejoining the NDA. However, Kumar appeared visibly perturbed by such speculative questions, retorting, "Kya faltu baat karte hain (What nonsense are you talking)," while Tejashwi Yadav grinned at the exchange.
Kumar also addressed queries regarding the future endeavors of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and expressed his disapproval of his party colleagues referring to him as "prime minister material."
Responding to a query about the absence of BJP leaders at the function commemorating Deen Dayal Upadhyaya's birth anniversary, Kumar indicated that he was unaware of the reason why BJP leaders, who had attended the event during their tenure in power, were not present this time.
Subsequently, BJP leaders arrived at the venue shortly after the departure of the Chief Minister, his cabinet members, and other government officials. The state BJP chief, Samrat Choudhary, asserted that they "were not invited to the function."
Sushil Kumar Modi, part of the BJP delegation, was asked about the potential for Nitish Kumar's return to the NDA, a prospect that once seemed highly likely given their close personal friendship in Bihar's political circles. However, Modi emphatically stated that bridges had been burned, and Nitish Kumar had become a political liability, incapable of transferring a single vote to alliance partners. Consequently, there was no desire within the BJP to realign with him, and all doors had been firmly shut. He emphasized that Kumar would not be welcomed back even if he beseeched with utmost humility.
