PATNA: In a delayed move, Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh endorsed Nitish Kumar as NDA’s chief ministerial face after the first phase of polling got over on November 6. Sources in NDA camp said that BJP top leadership got feedback from party workers that non-declaration of a CM face created confusion among voters, especially among sympathisers of Nitish Kumar, who is campaigning on the theme of social welfare schemes.
BJP’s clarification that Nitish would be as next chief minister if NDA returned to power assumes significance in the wake of Nitish’s closed-door meeting with some top officers of the state administration after the first phase of elections. The officers, known as close confidants of Nitish, reportedly briefed him about the poll prospects of JD(U) candidates, along with those of the NDA allies.
The officers who were present in the confidential meeting of Nitish were particularly expressive about cooperation between Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) workers and those of JD(U) in their respective constituencies. In the 2020 assembly elections, Chirag Paswan had contested assembly elections solo and fielded candidates against JD(U), causing considerable damage to Nitish’s party in more than 30 assembly seats.
On Friday, Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah also held a confidential meeting with core party leaders and sought to know about some particular seats, where BJP candidates were not confident about their victory. Shah wanted to know the reasons for the lukewarm response of voters in their assembly constituencies. “Shah was upset with the candidates’ explanation,” a source in BJP confided.
The source said that BJP leaders were not comfortable with the party’s performance in the first phase. “That is the reason BJP changed its strategy and decided to put Nitish’s face on the front ahead of the second phase of elections to be held in 122 seats on November 11,” political analyst claimed.
In the first phase, elections were held in the seats across 18 districts, majority of them are held by JD(U). Out of the 121 seats that NDA is contesting in the first phase, JD(U) has fielded its candidates in 57 seats, BJP 48, LJP(RV) eight and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha in two seats, respectively.
In the 2020 assembly elections, opposition Mahagathbandhan had won 61 seats while ruling NDA registered its victory in 59 seats only.
‘Secret’ meet
Top bureaucrats apprised Nitish Kumar of prospects of JD(U) candidates
Home Minister Amit Shah also had a secret meeting with BJP officials
Fear of poor performance of its candidates in the first phase impacted BJP decision