Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday expressed his personal opinion that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should be appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister.
Speaking to reporters, Choubey, who had previously served in Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet before moving to the Centre, stated that he would like to see Kumar become the second leader from Bihar to hold the post of Deputy PM, following the late Jagjivan Ram.
He praised Kumar’s significant contribution to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), describing him as a stabilizing force who has played a crucial role in supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Choubey emphasized that his suggestion was not an official party stance but a personal wish, adding that such a move would bring pride to Bihar by elevating another leader from the state to national prominence.
His comments came amid ongoing speculation about Nitish Kumar’s future within the NDA, particularly as the JD(U) leader, now 74, reportedly aims for a fifth consecutive term as chief minister in the assembly elections due later this year.
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There have been media reports suggesting that the BJP is considering offering Kumar an “honourable exit” due to growing dissatisfaction over playing a subordinate role in the alliance in Bihar. Past claims by BJP leaders, including the late Sushil Kumar Modi, have suggested that Kumar had even expressed interest in the Vice President’s post in 2022 and threatened to leave the NDA when that did not materialise.
Choubey’s remarks, however, did not carry much weight with either the JD(U) or the opposition RJD. JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar referred to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent interview, highlighting that all NDA allies continue to recognise Nitish Kumar as the leader of the alliance in Bihar for the upcoming elections.
On the other hand, RJD spokesperson Ejaz Ahmed dismissed Choubey’s comments, branding him as a "self-proclaimed spokesperson" who has been sidelined by his own party, which he claimed has no interest in accommodating Choubey or his son.
Ahmed also alleged that while the BJP may indeed wish to move on from Kumar, the party should come to terms with the reality that RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav is poised to take over the chief minister’s post. He concluded by mocking BJP leaders for what he called their futile aspirations of controlling power in the state.
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