Two days before the sensational disclosure made by none else but Nitish himself a minister in his cabinet, Bhim Singh, was quoted in the media expressing alarm over Advani’s Rath Yatra. He was reminding the Press about earlier Yatra which emanated from Somnath exactly 21 years ago on September 25, 1990.
Nitish completely took the party leaders as well as media by surprise as journalists in Delhi and Patna were busy filing stories on how the Janata Dal (United) has strong reservation over Advani’s latest move.
Only a day before Bihar chief minister’s Friday announcement party general secretary Shivanand Tiwary was quoted in Hindustan Times from New Delhi as saying: “Why should Nitish Kumar or anyone else from Janata Dal (United) go there suo motu for a BJP political event? And the state administration is not supposed to assist a political event.”
Another party leader was quoted in the same report as saying: “There will be no state machinery support, no participation in Yatra, no moral support and no statement of support for Advani.”
If this was the situation till Thursday than why on Friday Nitish made it public to go with Advani. And that too when only a few days ago he announced that he would be launching his own Yatra?
A political observer, who wished not to be quoted asked as to why Nitish chose to cock a snook at his own senior party leaders. He should have informed party spokesman like Tiwary and other leaders well in advance about his plan.
The latest move by Nitish has really embarrassed senior party leaders who were sincerely busy planting something else in newspapers and TV channels. It also goes to prove as to how the Janata Dal (United) is being run by just one man.
The even bigger question is: why this sudden volte face in his stand.
Political observers are of the view that since Nitish always try to project himself as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister in 2014 he naturally has a running battle with none else but his Gujarat counterpart, Narendra Modi. So he would like to make every effort to nip in the bud any of Modi’s plan.
The drama enacted by Nitish on June 12 last year to announce his dissociation with Narendra Modi was link of the same long chain.
By joining Advani’s hand against Modi he think that he would cut Modi to his size. But Nitish is at the risk of losing hard-earned support of Muslims who do not see much difference between Advani and Modi. “If Modi is responsible for 2002 riots in Gujarat, Advani is equally responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid and subsequent Hindu-Muslim violence and Bombay blast,” said social activist Naiyer Fatmi, who is, of late, quite active over Forbesganj police barbarity on Muslims.
Secondly joining hands with Advani, the leader whom Lalu Yadav arrested, would not send a good signal to the secularists within his own party too.
But Nitish is in a bind. A section of national media and political observers have unnecessarily ignited his prime ministerial ambition. While serious political thinkers in Bihar see no chance of Nitish becoming the Prime Minister of the country they do not think that Modi’s chance is brighter too.
However, the Gujarat chief minister has an advantage. He at least comes from the party with an all-India presence and even in the worst case scenario, was able to win six times more MPs in Parliament than Janata Dal (United). The JD(U) at its best could win only 20 seats on its own––all in Bihar––in 2009 while 12 others were won by the alliance partner, the BJP.
In contrast the Janata Dal (U) is not in a position to win even a single Assembly seat in neighbouring UP and West Bengal, not to speak of other states. Even in Jharkhand Assembly election held after the 2009 Lok Sabha poll, the Janata Dal (United) was in all practical purpose decimated. “How can Nitish in such a situation dream of becoming the Prime Minister of the country,” asked an observer. Thus by going with Advani he has taken a calculated risk.

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