PATNA: The underlying tone of the first-of-its-kind National Executive meeting of seven morchas of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the capital city of Bihar, Patna, is hard to miss.
The meeting seems to have a clear message to the party’s alliance partner in the state, Janata Dal (United) strongman and Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar – at a time when the relationship between the two parties seems to have hit a rough path.
CM Kumar did not attend the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for former President Ram Nath Kovind. CM Kumar also did not attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Draupadi Murmu. He also skipped a meeting of chief ministers called by Union home minister Amit Shah on July 17.
Though Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited Patna and met CM Kumar, and after the meeting, he told the media that Nitish Kumar was the leader of the NDA in Bihar and will be chief minister till the next assembly polls in 2025, but that failed to quell buzz of change in relationship status remained.
With its current meeting in Patna, murmurs have started coming out that BJP is preparing for the next assembly polls in 2025. “If you look at the politics of Nitish Kumar, one thing which is very visible is the unreliability of Kumar. He had even broken the alliance before 2014 polls and has snubbed the party leaders on multiple occasions,” a Bihar BJP leader told The New Indian.
The BJP had contested 110 seats in the last polls and had won 74. The JD (U) contested 115 seats but could win only 43 seats. Despite being the junior partner and resistance from the state leadership, the party’s central leadership had offered chief ministership to Nitish Kumar.
But that could change in near future.
Meanwhile, the top leadership of the BJP including party president JP Nadda, Union home minister Amit Shah and general secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh participated in the four-day event.
The office bearers of BJP’s seven morchas, who had gathered in Patna for the conclave had spread out in 243 assembly constituencies of the state and stayed put there for two days.
On their return to Patna, they provided the party leadership feedback on all 243 constituencies.
A BJP leader, who had participated in the conclave in Patna, told The New Indian, “The instructions from the party were very clear. We had to spread out all over Bihar and see how people responded to various
welfare schemes introduced by the Modi government. We were also expected to tell people about the initiatives taken by the Modi government for the welfare of the masses.”
While virtually inaugurating party offices from Patna, BJP national president JP Nadda said, “Last time I had inaugurated 11 district offices of the BJP. Today I inaugurated 16 offices and laid the foundation stone for seven.”
Attacking dynasty politics, Nadda said, “Bihar is the mother of democracy and dynasty politics is the biggest threat to democracy. So, we must fight dynasty politics to save democracy.”
In his speech, Union home minister Amit Shah emphasised the significance of organisation in the development of the country.