The Congress lost power in Bihar after worst ever floods in 1987. Lalu Prasad's RJD was voted out after 2004 flood. People now apprehend that 2019 floods would prove to be the last stint as the chief minister of Bihar. This has gained momentum with the people comparing the current floods in Patna with that of 1975. People nurse the opinion that the 2020 assembly elections would witness ascendance of new face as the CM.

Warning for Nitish Kumar has become too jarring with senior BJP leaders from Bihar targeting him and blaming him for the massive loss the state suffered in the floods. Year 2019 does not augur well for Nitish. While in the first half of 2019, Bihar was hit by severe drought in many districts, the state witnessed a number serious cams in which close aides of Nitish were involved. Of these the worst was the killings and sexual exploitation of destitute women. Now in the second half of the year floods have come to haunt him.

Nitish has been trying best to defend him. But it fails the test. It was the utter failure of the urban ministry that caused massive floods in Patna. Nearly 60 persons lost their lives throughout Bihar in the floods. The bureaucrats, ministers and clerks of the urban department and municipalities denied the basic civic amenities to the people. It was their neglect of the city that ravaged Patna.

What has been really shocking is Nitish utterly failed to perform his task. This situation was exploited by his political adversaries, especially a big section of the state BJP leaders. Only two months back, just a month ahead of his taking over the charge of the state BJP chief, Sanjay Paswan had cautioned Nitish and suggested him to make office for a BJP leader.

In the wake of the floods all important and senior BJP leaders have started criticising Nitish. Sources even confide that BJP leaders have played important role in decline of the functioning of the government departments. In Patna all the assembly seats have BJP representatives. They have not taken any interest in repair works and improving the drainage system. Most of the employees owe allegiance to the BJP. Obviously they too are not to ameliorate the administrative situation.

It is an open secret that in Bihar floods is a man-made calamity than a nature-made disaster. In fact Nitish has been aware of the modus operandi of the BJP leaders. He too has initiated steps to counter their moves. There are signs emerging from Bihar politics that something is brewing in the JDU-BJP alliance. He may surprise political pundits once again with a new formulation in the election year.

It is an open secret that while BJP leaders resort to vile propaganda and use nasty jibes against Nehru, projecting him as wrecker of the country, Nitish took steps to eulogise him. His decision to rename Patna’s Bailey road after Jawaharlal Nehru is purely a tit for tat move to attack BJP. Yet another development leaves lesser space to comprehend the difference. Nitish has decided not to allow Ramlila as part of the Durga Puja celebration at a venue very close to celebrated Gandhi Maidan of Patna. This decision has infuriated the BJP leadership

Nitish Kumar has remained an enigma for political observers. It is a tough proposition to understand his moves. In the existing situation Nitish ha no friend and ally. He is alone and facing flak from all corners for his poor handling of drought and flood in the state. Earlier the state BJP leaders, except deputy chief minister Sushil Mody,forced by the central leaders supported Nitish. But now the Central leaders of BJP are opposed to Nitish, which is why its campaign against Nitish has intensified. Basically the BJP leaders are for going alone to the polls. In case of coalition the BJP leaders are pushing for a lion's share in the coalition.

BJP leaders are not ready to go to polls under the Nitish’s leadership. The LJP leader and Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan's has already approached BJP with the suggestion to decide the leader of NDA in Bihar. It obviously he is not comfortable with Nitish as the NDA leader

Along with Nitish, his protégé BJP senior leader Sushil Modi has also come under severe criticism for ignoring the plights of flood affected people. In the area where he resides, while the common residents were completely denied of the essential commodities and some even did not food for four-five days, he abandoned his voters. Patna has not seen such floods since 1975, both the people and authorities say.

People have refused to listen to the alibis and “ absurd “ explanations of Nitish who blamed nature - excessive rain - for the flood fury and not the lack of preparedness of the government or "poor response" from the state agencies.(IPA Service)