Speculation rife on change in Bihar leadership after LS poll results; BJP denies

Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar’s visit to national Capital Delhi a day before the announcement of the Lok Sabha results stoked speculation about the timing and the purpose of the visit. Although both the JD(U) and the Bharatiya Janata Pary (BJP) described his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a courtesy call, political circles were abuzz with speculation that Kumar’s visit could have an implication for the polity in the state.

What fuelled the conspiracy that Kumar could be eyeing a position outside the state and a new leadership would lead the state to polls in 2025 was the JDU’s demand for early polls.

“There is no truth in these conjectures about the CM’s visit...he has met the PM and is likely to meet Union home minister Amit Shah. There are other alliance related issues that may have come up at the meeting, but there is no question of a change in the state’s leadership,” said a JDU functionary aware of the details.

The leader said the CM was in the Capital for a routine medical checkup and is expected back in the state.

The explanation notwithstanding, there is speculation that the BJP may get to occupy the CM’s seat in the state if the results favour the party. “There is a buzz in the state that in the event of the BJP winning all 17 seats that it is contesting, and the JDU not doing well, then a change in leadership may be in the offing,” said BJP leader in Bihar. The leader, however, asserted that it was “speculation” and not “discussed formally or informally within the party unit.”

There is also speculation that the BJP will appoint an Other Backward Class (OBC) face as the CM and let its ally, the JDU, pick an upper caste for the deputy CM’s post to consolidate its position among the OBCs, the Economically Backward Classes (EBCs) and the upper caste ahead of the assembly polls.