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‘Nobody retires from politics’: JD(U) after Nitish’s statement
The JD(U), NDA insiders said, went for a damage-control exercise after the coalition think tank realised that the statement could harm the alliance’s prospects in the third phase of polls scheduled for Saturday.
The Janata Dal (United) rushed to clarify on Friday that its president and chief minister Nitish Kumar was not retiring from Bihar politics, a day after Kumar said at a rally in Purnia that the ongoing election would be his last — a statement that set the political scene aflutter.
The JD(U), NDA insiders said, went for a damage-control exercise after the coalition think tank realised that the statement could harm the alliance’s prospects in the third phase of polls scheduled for Saturday.
Leading the denial, JD(U) state president and MP Bashistha Narain Singh said Kumar could not retire. “Nobody retires from politics. He has said that this was the last day of his campaigning. Nitish Kumar will continue to work as long as the people of Bihar want,” Singh said while Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh had on Thursday appreciated Kumar for his remark that the present assembly polls would be his last and said the JD(U) leader had changed Bihar for good.
“Nitish Kumar changed Bihar after he took over as chief minister and there is no alternative to him. As CM, he has done such good work that many of his schemes in the state are known as models in the country,” Harivansh told news agency ANI.
As Kumar took a break on Friday after addressing 113 rallies during the three-phase elections, speculation arose in political circles with each party interpreting the announcement its own way.
Kumar, 69, while speaking at Damdaha in Purnia on Thurdsay, said, “All is well that ends well. The day after, there is polling. This is my last election. Will you vote for the JD(U) or not?”
Kumar’s statement, which came a day before the final phase of polls for 78 seats of the 243-member Bihar assembly, was lapped up by the opposition alliance. Grand Alliance chief ministerial candidate Tejashwi Yadav said his stand was vindicated. “We have been saying this for long that Nitish Kumar ji has been worn out and he is not able to manage Bihar. Now on the last day of the election campaign, he has announced that he is taking retirement from politics. Maybe he has understood the ground realities,” said Tejashwi.
Addressing an election event, Tejashwi said, “I want to tell people of the state that it would be meaningless to vote for a person who is facing his last election...There will be no accountability for next five years as the person is already trying to escape from responsibility.” The Congress and LJP’s Chirag Paswan also attacked Kumar.
However, Jan Adhikar Party leader Rajesh Ranjan aka Pappu Yadav called it emotional blackmail. “Why does such a coward, weak and helpless person want to become CM again? He should retire from Bihar politics and join the Centre’s politics. The BJP has scripted this all,” he said.
NDA insiders admitted the statement was an emotional appeal but it had the potential to backfire. “The NDA assessment is that the alliance was well and truly on course to forming the government and any confusion created by the opposition over this statement could affect the smooth march to power,” said a senior NDA leader.
The BJP came out in defence of Kumar. “The Congress and the RJD are out to create confusion. Where there is PM Modi and Nitish, there is faith, development,” said Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said no one can take Kumar’s place if he retires.
Political experts in Bihar said Kumar always spoke in a calculated language. “He must have felt the pulse of the people and realised that there is a strong anti-incumbency wave against him. This cannot be a slip of the tongue,” said DM Diwakar, former director of the AN Sinha Institute for Social Studies.
