Nitish though initially had expressed his unwillingness to be sworn in as the chief minister unless the LJP is dismembered and Chirag Paswan is sacked from the NDA, putting the BJP leadership, especially Narendra Modi in a piquant situation, Modi finally prevailed over him and Nitish succumbed to his goading. It is not that Modi was not expecting some kind of truant but he was sure that Nitish will not dare to precipitate the crisis. It is uncertain whether Chirag will be shown the door and LJP will cease to be a member of NDA.

Nitish also lost his stake in the form of having his own man as the Speaker of the assembly. BJP refused to concede. While the BJP leaders have been insisting to have their person as the Speaker, Nitish is reluctant to concede to their pressure tactics. Usually the tussle for having a person of choice as the Speaker is seen in the ruling and opposition parties. But amazingly this has acquired a major dimension of conflict between the two partners.

Senior BJP leader Sushil Modi has lost the favour of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. He has been denied the office of dy chief minister which he has been holding for years. BJP leaders hated his proximity to and likening for Kumar. He was held responsible for the poor organisational growth of the party in the state. A general impression gripped the national leaders that he has been working as the yesman of Nitish and providing all kinds of cover to him which were tantamount to the interest of the party. They were waiting for the right time and it came today.

The new replacement Tarkishore Prasad is said to be choice of the RSS though he has been an old hand. The party intends to direct the functioning of the government through him. Unlike Sushil there is a feeling that he can be managed to pressurise and goad Nitish.

Shockingly the national leadership of BJP could not repose its trust on any of the prominent state leaders, as it nurses the view that all are too close to Nitish and would not be effective in giving a direction to the government in accordance of the desires and wishes of the central leadership. Though the state leaders have welcomed the decision of the central leadership of appointing Tarkishore as the next man to Nitish, this has hurt almost all the senior leaders of the party who so far has been running it. They feel hurt and insulted. A couple of them even plan to write to the central leadership arguing that their dedication and allegiance has been undermined by the leadership.

Meanwhile Sushil Modi through a tweet thanked the BJP and the Sangh Parivar for the 40 years of his political life and said that he would discharge whatever responsibility would be given to him in a tweet. To assuage his feelings some central leaders had suggested to make him second deputy CM but he made it clear he will not hold the same position in Nitish Kumar’s new cabinet after the BJP chose Tarkishore Prasad as the CM’s deputy.

Meanwhile some state BJP leaders were apprehensive of the future of the new NDA government, for how many months it would be in power. Speculations are rife that some members of the party may quit and explore an alternative government. Their anxieties also owes to the fact that the BJP has refused to accommodate the claim of the HAM chief Jitan Ram Majhi of appointing a HAM legislator as the deputy chief minister. It is said that initially the B JP had agreed to this proposal, but now the party intends to being its own member Manju Devi as the second deputy chief minister.

Although Nitish Kumar has retained the chief ministership, his friends and foes alike feel that he has to succumb to the wishes of Amit Shah and Modi. His wings have virtually been clipped. He would be mere a titular head. So far he used to run the show, but in future it is the BJP leadership that will dictate the terms. Most of the prominent ministerial offices would be given to the B JP leaders. Besides the number of the BJP ministers would be more. Nitish will find it tough to have his way at the cabinet meetings.

The political circle has already started realising the heat. Uncertainty looms large over his continuance for the full term, given the BJP’s numerical superiority in the ruling coalition. He would have to work as a rubber stamp. Meanwhile the BJP intends to slap criminal cases against some of the ministers who were found to be involved in scams in earlier governments. Incidentally most of them belong to JD(U). The BJP leaders have already told Nitish in clear words to do away with his own man who have been holding key positions in the CM’s secretariat and operating like caucus.

One thing is absolutely clear that BJP is in a tearing hurry and would not like to waste time. Some leaders reveal that given the political situation the leadership might not have given the office of CM to Nitish, it has to accept him only for the reason that Modi had promised him well before the election. The party leadership will launch an intensive rapid expansion drive, and everyone, whether friend or foe, must step aside. Eventually Nitish will have to bow out of office. It is only the matter of some time. The BJP sources say that the die has been cast for Nitish to make way for a BJP chief minister. Senior RJD leader Manoj Jha also expressed the view; “Bihar will find its alternative, which will be spontaneous. It might take a week, ten days, or a month but it will happen”

While supporters of Sushil Modi nurse the feeling that he would be shifted to Delhi and made the Rajya Sabha member, the supporters of young Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan are quite optimist that the BJP would reward him handsomely.

This election made it clear that the perception of the election and democracy has changed. No other system except the system to win the election was visible in the election. The entire election machinery functioned according to their desires and dictates. To achieve the mission the BJP has raised a strong brigade of paid cadres at the all India level.

The Bihar election has brought about change in the implication and perception of the system of the election. Behind the veneer of the ideology and issues, it is the perception about the politics and parties that plays the important role in the victory and defeat of the party. If victory of BJP should be viewed in this perspective, the performances of Owaisi’s MIM and Sahani’s VIP should be viewed in this backdrop. Underutilisation of CPI leader Kanhaiya Kumar should also be viewed in this context. (IPA Service)