Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha found himself in hot water after a bold speech paying tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. His remarks sparked tensions between the BJP and its ally, the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), just ahead of next year's Bihar Assembly elections.
Soon after, Mr. Sinha issued a clarification, seemingly under pressure from his party.
During a BJP event honoring Vajpayee, Mr. Sinha said the BJP's mission in Bihar remains incomplete. He emphasized that forming a BJP-led government in Bihar would be the ultimate tribute to Vajpayee. "The restlessness in our hearts will only be calmed when Bihar has a BJP government," he declared.
He also took aim at the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), accusing it of disrupting communal harmony and invoking the term "jungle raj," a phrase often used to describe RJD's past rule.
"Bihar has a proud history. It's time to revive that spirit. A BJP-led government will make every Bihari proud," he asserted.
These remarks fueled speculation about the stability of the BJP-JDU alliance, especially given the upcoming elections. Despite BJP holding a stronger position within the alliance, Nitish Kumar continues as Chief Minister, a role he retained after rejoining the NDA last year.
In turn, Kumar supported the BJP at the national level when it fell short of a majority in the general election.
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The timing of Mr. Sinha's comments led many to question whether the BJP might seek to replace Nitish Kumar if it secures enough seats in the state polls. Recognizing the potential damage, the Deputy Chief Minister released a video to clarify his statements.
In the video, Mr. Sinha called Nitish Kumar "Atal ji's favorite" and praised his leadership. "Nitish Kumar was entrusted with the mission of establishing good governance in Bihar.
Between 2005 and 2010, significant efforts were made to eliminate jungle raj. Under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, the NDA government has freed Bihar from kidnappings, murders, looting, and rapes," he said.
He further emphasized that any future NDA government would also be led by Nitish Kumar. A framed photograph of the Chief Minister behind him underscored the message.
This episode comes as the RJD continues to accuse the BJP of controlling Bihar’s government from Delhi, leaving Nitish Kumar with little authority over state administration. Mr. Sinha’s remarks and subsequent clarification have only added fuel to the debate about the BJP-JDU alliance’s future.
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