Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party, on Saturday criticised the reported move of Nitish Kumar shifting to the Rajya Sabha, calling it an “insult” to the PDA communities. Yadav alleged that the decision, which could see Nitish Kumar step down as Chief Minister of Bihar, was a strategy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to politically sideline the veteran leader.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Yadav said the move undermines the interests of communities represented by the PDA acronym, which stands for ‘Pichhde’ (backward classes), Dalits, and ‘Alpsankhyak’ (minorities). According to him, the decision signals an attempt to remove Nitish Kumar from active state politics despite his long-standing role in Bihar’s political landscape.

Yadav further claimed that the Opposition INDIA bloc had once considered Nitish Kumar as a potential prime ministerial candidate. He argued that the development demonstrates how political equations have shifted significantly in recent years, particularly after Nitish Kumar’s alignment with the BJP.

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The Samajwadi Party leader also referred to earlier opposition alliances to highlight his point. He recalled that during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, when the Samajwadi Party had formed an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, his party had supported the idea of BSP chief Mayawati as a possible prime ministerial candidate if the alliance had succeeded at the national level.

In addition to his remarks on Nitish Kumar, Yadav commented on ongoing coordination meetings involving the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He alleged that such meetings, including discussions with Yogi Adityanath and other BJP leaders, were being conducted to review and possibly cancel tickets of some BJP legislators ahead of upcoming political contests.

The comments come amid growing political speculation about leadership changes in Bihar and evolving alliances at the national level. As discussions around Nitish Kumar’s possible move to the Rajya Sabha continue, leaders from different political parties are weighing in on the potential implications for both state and national politics.

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