Nitish Kumar maintains silence on PK's political announcement

A day after political strategist Prashant Kishor hinted about launching a political party, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar maintained a studied silence on the development.

While interacting with media on the occasion of Eid on Tuesday, the chief minister initially ducked the question, but on being asked repeatedly, he stated that he has nothing to do with it.

On Monday, Prashant Kishor hinted at launching a political party from Bihar. Taking to his official Twitter handle, he tweeted: "My quest to be a meaningful participation in democracy and help shape pro people policy led to a 10 years rollercoaster ride."

"As I turn this page, time to go to the Real Masters. The people to better understand the issues and to path to Jan Suraj - People good governance starting from Bihar," he tweeted.

His tweets evoked sharp reactions by RJD and BJP, but JD-U chose not to react.

It is well known that Nitish Kumar has good relations with Prashant Kishor, which the former has admitted several times on public platforms.

Several, however, see it a political ploy of Nitish Kumar to indirectly promote PK in the state so that the parties can be merged.

Currently, JD-U is undergoing a deep crisis especially after the second expansion of the Narendra Modi government. In that expansion, R.C.P. Singh was given the charge to bargain with BJP but he opted otherwise and secured the cabinet berth for himself.

This led to other prominent leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh being upset with him. Nitish Kumar realised it and made him the party's national president.

At present, there is a RCP Singh group, Lalan Singh group, Upendra Kushwaha group, active in JD-U.

Taking this in view, the JD-U has issued an official notification directing that every poster and advertisement will have Kumar's photograph only. No other leaders are entitled to promote themselves through poster politics in Bihar.

It is well known that except Nitish Kumar, there is no political successor in JD-U who could hold the party together at present. Neither RCP Singh, nor Lalan Singh or Upendra Kushwaha.

In that context, the political capability of PK is well established across the country. Hence, Nitish Kumar could give ideal play ground in Bihar to grow as a party and then merge into JD-U so that it would be easy for Nitish Kumar to hand over the responsibility to hold his legacy.

Though, this is just an assumption of political analysts in Bihar, they also believe that no one, including his closest allies, know Kumar's take on it.

--IANS

ajk/shb/