What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
The Sutradhar has been relegated to a supporting-actor role. Not just in Bengaluru but perhaps also in Patna.
“Nitish Kumar denies reports of being sidelined”, “Nitish Kumar will be the Convenor of the alliance “, “Nitish remains Sutradhar of the opp alliance : JDU” – These were some of the headlines on the day after the Bengaluru meet where 26 opposition parties met to chalk their future strategy and named the alliance I.N.D.I.A, which is Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, as announced by Congress president Mallikarjuna Kharge. Some, like Akhilesh Yadav, claimed the “D” stood for Democratic, not Developmental.
Nitish Kumar was the first to start a structured exercise to find common ground among various political parties opposed to the BJP, so a joint platform could be forged against the Narendra Modi-led NDA. Nitish also approached Naveen Patnaik but was shown the red signal. For weeks, the Bihar chief minister spent little time in Patna as he went to Chennai, Mumbai, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, and Delhi.
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His travels brought dividends too. After some hiccups, leaders of parties who were uncomfortable about sharing a platform with the Congress agreed to join in. There was partial success in the Patna meet and more in Bengaluru. Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Bannerjee were persuaded by Nitish Kumar after discussing the various pros and cons.
Despite JDU’s efforts at damage control, we know this was far from the case. Not only did he seem to have lost his Sutradhar position, he was visibly ignored. Nitish Kumar was not part of any of the press briefings held over the two-day event. Neither were his speech and participation promoted by anyone. To top it all, his objection to the moniker I.N.D.I.A on the ground that a political formation should not be named like this was also shot down.
For days, all activity in the opposition camp leading up to the Bengaluru meet was focused on the Gandhi family and the Congress. That brings us to the question: has Kumar outlived his utility for the Gandhi family after he managed to bring together the leaders who were averse to aligning with the Congress? Is he now just another member among many others? What did Nitish Kumar gain in the whole process?
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In due time, we may uncover these answers. However, a subtle message for other chief ministers emerges: the Gandhi family retains firm control of the show. Make no mistake, despite Mr. Kharge’s claims of disinterest in power.
The only difference between Nitish Kumar and other CMs is that at least Mamata Bannerjee and Arvind Kejriwal are in control in their respective states. Nitish Kumar’s control over the administration seems to have gone south. The way events are unfolding in Patna every week, the brutal behavior of Bihar Police and the unending string of criminal incidents all over the state shows the reins of administration are slipping from his hands into the hands of his numerically superior and more aggressive ally, the RJD.
The Sutradhar has been relegated to a supporting-actor role. Not just in Bengaluru but perhaps also in Patna.
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(The article has been written by Smita Mishra, a bilingual journalist who specializes in politics and current affairs. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author)
