BJP to Dump Nitish After Bihar Polls says Kanhaiya

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar dropped a political bombshell on Tuesday, alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a temporary ally until the upcoming assembly elections, only to “discard” him and install its own chief minister. Speaking to PTI on the sidelines of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, Kumar accused the BJP of seeking a “backdoor” route to power, claiming that the people of Bihar are not ready to grant the party direct leadership. The 1,300-km yatra, led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, aims to rally support for voting rights ahead of the October-November polls across 243 constituencies.

Kumar launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission (EC), accusing it of adopting the BJP’s narrative and failing to remain impartial. “The EC speaks the language of the BJP instead of being nishpaksh (impartial),” he said, slamming the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Bihar as a move to disenfranchise voters. He pointed to discrepancies like names of deceased individuals added to voter lists and living voters deleted, demanding an apology from the EC for misleading the public. Kumar highlighted Rahul Gandhi’s evidence-based accusations, questioning why the EC has not acted under apparent pressure.

The Congress leader referenced the EC’s recent press conference, where Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar cited privacy concerns to deny access to CCTV footage from polling booths. “What bedroom data are we asking for? We want polling booth data,” Kumar quipped, alleging the EC is deflecting to confuse the public and undermine the opposition. The INDIA bloc, including Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), has been disrupting Parliament’s Monsoon session since July 21, demanding a debate on the SIR issue, which they claim threatens free and fair elections.

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Kumar emphasized the Mahagathbandhan’s unity, dismissing misconceptions that a stronger Congress would harm allies like the RJD. “It’s in Congress’ DNA to take everyone along,” he said, citing successful alliance governments in the past. He noted the narrow 12,000-vote gap between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Mahagathbandhan in the last election, arguing that the NDA’s position is not as strong as perceived. Kumar accused the BJP of relying on Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) to secure votes, only to plan his replacement post-election.

Commenting on the yatra’s symbolism, Kumar downplayed questions about RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav driving the jeep with Rahul Gandhi in Sasaram, stressing collective effort. “A conductor is as important as a driver,” he said, underscoring the Mahagathbandhan’s collaborative spirit. On whether Tejashwi would be the chief ministerial candidate, Kumar said the alliance would decide democratically after securing a majority, expressing confidence in forming the next government through joint efforts.

Reflecting on his own political journey, Kumar, a former Left leader, praised Rahul Gandhi’s commitment to marginalized communities. “I used to criticize Congress, but now I’m on my third yatra with Rahul ji because he fights for people’s rights,” he said. The yatra, set to culminate in a Patna rally on September 1, aims to spread awareness about voting rights and challenge the BJP’s alleged electoral manipulations. As Bihar gears up for a high-stakes election, Kumar’s remarks signal a fierce battle ahead, with the opposition banking on public support to counter the NDA’s strategies.

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