The meeting between Nitish Kumar and Tejaswi Yadav was not sudden. It may seem so, but it was pre-planned. Yes, it can be an excuse to meet for some specific purpose, this cannot be denied.
Regarding the meeting of Bihar Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, it has been told that this meeting was called to discuss the appointment of the Information Commissioner. Actually, apart from the Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition, the committee formed for the appointment process also has members of the cabinet. The Chief Minister is the chairman of the committee, and everyone together finalizes one name.
After meeting Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav said that information about the appointment of the Information Commissioner will be given. Tejashwi Yadav told the media that some appointments are to be made, which have been discussed. The government will formally inform about this.
There is something extra in what Tejashwi Yadav told the media. And the specialty of this extra is that the issue is related to caste census. In 2022, Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar also talked and met on the issue of caste census – and then suddenly one day Nitish Kumar left the NDA and became the Chief Minister of the Grand Alliance.
Is the same game going to happen again in Bihar politics? Because there is a stir in the BJP camp regarding the meeting of Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav – and Lalu Yadav has also called a meeting of MLAs.
We met, what did you talk about?
The meeting between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav was formal. For official work, so this meeting took place in the Secretariat of Patna – and lasted for about half an hour.
Although this meeting was called for the appointment of the Information Commissioner, after meeting Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav also told about some extra conversation. This extra conversation was related to caste census.
The issue of caste census has become an important issue not only in Bihar but also in the politics of the country. However, the foundation has been laid in Bihar itself. Nitish Kumar had also conducted caste census in Bihar in the government with Tejashwi Yadav. Then Nitish Kumar had woven such a web that even BJP had to agree with him at every step – and even now BJP seems to be in a defensive posture regarding caste census. Now even BJP’s parent organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has said that caste census should be done, the only condition is that it should not be used for any political purpose. Is this possible?
Tejashwi Yadav told the media that he has talked to the Chief Minister about including the proposal passed by the Assembly after the caste census in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. In fact, Bihar has recommended to the Central Government to include Bihar’s proposal in the Ninth Schedule. Nitish Kumar himself has also said this. Nitish Kumar is in the role of an ally in the NDA government at the Center, and Tejashwi Yadav would also expect that Nitish Kumar should put pressure on the Central Government to do so.
According to Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish Kumar said that the matter is in court. Tejashwi Yadav said, ‘We also said that we have also reached the court… You present your case in the court, we will also present our case properly.’ In the Ninth Schedule that Tejashwi Yadav is talking about, a proposal has been passed to increase the limit of reservation, which has been stayed by the Patna High Court.
The question is that when Tejashwi Yadav can discuss the issue of caste census during a meeting regarding the appointment of the Information Commissioner, then can there be no other topic? And on the issue of caste census, Nitish Kumar has changed sides once, he can change sides again too! Isn’t it so?
But there is a catch here. Nitish Kumar’s meeting with Tejaswi Yadav could be a part of future strategy. There could be some special indication, but no guarantee – now Nitish Kumar wants a big offer, because he has already secured the seat of Chief Minister.
Rahul Gandhi is more important for Nitish than Tejashwi
Gone are the days when Nitish Kumar used to switch sides by meeting Lalu Yadav or attending an Iftar party at Rabri Devi’s residence. Nitish Kumar’s ambitions have once again grown, just like the era before 2013, when Nitish Kumar was with the BJP and was demanding that he be declared the NDA’s prime ministerial face. The BJP accepted Nitish Kumar’s demand but declared Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial face. Nitish Kumar left the BJP and joined hands with Lalu Yadav.
Nitish Kumar has so far made full use of Lalu Yadav’s support as well as BJP’s support, but Nitish Kumar has benefited from BJP’s failure to achieve majority in the Lok Sabha elections – once again he has achieved a bargaining position. Whatever could be got from BJP, he has got it. Now what can INDIA Block offer, the future politics is going to move on that path.
1. Nitish currently has everything he needs. At least till the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Now if he gets an offer of the Prime Minister’s post from India Block, only then will he believe that things like getting a perfect world can become a reality.
2. The most that Tejashwi Yadav can assure Nitish Kumar is that if they come together again, there will be no demand from RJD to make him the Chief Minister, or there will be no pressure from Lalu Yadav to do so.
3. Overall, Tejashwi Yadav can at the most let Nitish Kumar remain the Chief Minister peacefully, but BJP is also doing this work. BJP has even said that Nitish Kumar will be the leader of NDA in the 2025 Bihar elections as well.
4. Now if India Block can give anything to Nitish, then it is the offer of the Prime Minister’s chair – and only Rahul Gandhi can make this promise. Provided he is ready to make sacrifices despite emerging stronger in the Lok Sabha elections. Only then is all this possible.
Nitish Kumar has met the Leader of Opposition in Bihar. Maybe he will find an excuse to meet again. But the matter cannot move forward until the Chief Minister of Bihar meets the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha – now any deal will be finalized only with the consent of Rahul Gandhi.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)