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After the break-up of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance, the latter has now decided to go on the offensive. The BJP alleges that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has lost his grip over the administration. Former deputy chief minister of Bihar and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi also told Satyavrat Mishra about the future strategy of the saffron party in the state. Edited excerpts:
The JD (U) and especially Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had shown no ambiguity about a certain leader of your party. Yet the BJP decided to elevate that leader. Why?
It was never an issue. All they asked from us was to disclose about the prime ministerial candidate before the end of this year. We have yet to choose our PM candidate. After we made Narendra Modi the chairman of BJP's election management committee, then also the JD (U) leaders, including and especially its president Sharad Yadav, termed this an internal matter of the BJP. Moreover, our party had always assured them that we would choose our PM candidate only after deliberations with our alliance partners. Yet they decided to break the alliance.
In 2010, the people of Bihar gave us the mandate for good governance and a better law and order situation. Votes were sought in the name of both Nitish and Sushil. The mandate had nothing to do with the PM candidate issue. Despite that, Kumar and JD (U) decided to break our alliance. Therefore, people held JD (U) leaders responsible for this break-up.
Nitish Kumar has repeatedly said the growing influence of "outsiders" in the state BJP affairs forced him to break this alliance.
He must clarify what influence is he talking about. Vague comments will not do. As far we are concerned, we supported him unconditionally for the last seven and half years. There have been no outside interventions in the matters of the government. We supported Kumar blindly, which is rare in the political history of the country. Despite all the differences within the alliance, we supported him fully. This is why he was able to provide good governance and took some of the major and far reaching decisions.
The support of our 91 MLAs was always there for him. Therefore, he never had to worry about the dissident voices in his own party. At the same time, we wanted to give much needed good governance and development to the state. Hence, if there had been any "outside influence", he must tell about that.
You said that despite all the problems, the BJP supported Kumar for the development of the state. Now that the alliance is over, how much would the governance and development be affected?
The signs are already visible. Saving his government has now become the chief minister's priority. Development and good governance have taken a back seat. He is now head of a minority government, which is limping with the help of four independent MLAs. He is also trying hard to curb dissidents within his party. He is not able to expand his cabinet even after a whole month has passed since the break-up. The chief minister is still keeping 18 portfolios to himself, including some of the major departments like health, road, finance, etc. No matter how efficient a person is, he cannot run so many departments. But he fears that a Cabinet expansion will trigger a rebellion in the ranks of the JD (U). When we were together, he never had to think about majority or dissidents in his party. The terror attack in Bodh Gaya, which happened due to the security lapses, is the direct result of this change in priorities. Last month, six tribal people were killed in police firing in Bagaha at West Champaran. There has been a sharp rise in crime in the state in the last one month. It shows how his grip over the administration has weakened.
Earlier, he thought that he would break the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and will get numbers. However, he failed in his plot. The chief minister now has to make compromises and people are now blackmailing him. Therefore, he is not able to make strong decisions. His biggest priority right now is to keep his own MLAs and independent MLAs happy. Law and order and development are no more the state government's priorities.
You have recently accused Nitish Kumar for being arrogant. Why?
He has always been an arrogant leader. He likes to take all the credit. He does not like to share credit and/or power. He is probably the only chief minister in the country who inaugurates even the smallest projects himself. He openly says the massive mandate, that we received in 2010, was all because of him. If this is not arrogance, then what is this?
How much will this break up affect the next general elections?
We were forced out of the alliance. Our ministers were not even given a chance to submit their resignations; we were sacked. We have to wait and see, whether we would gain or lose in the next election. However, in the last one month, we noticed largescale anger in the public against the JD (U). It reminds of September 2005, when then Governor Buta Singh dissolved the Assembly and betrayed the people's mandate.
Then there is the anti-incumbency factor . It's been more than seven and a half years, since Nitish Kumar took the reins of the state. Now, the JD (U) has to bear the brunt of public anger alone. The public also fails to understand why the JD (U) is opposing Narendra Modi? They see him as an honest and strong leader.
Minorities have also put the Godhra incident behind them. Lalu Prasad Yadav tried to encash this issue in 2005 but failed miserably. The younger generation of voters wants development, they want jobs and they are far ahead of these emotional issues.
What will be the BJP's future strategy in Bihar?
I just want to make it clear that we will not try to destabilise the government. Our target is now the 2014 general elections. We are organising a big rally in Patna on October 27. We will also go to the villages and inform that how we were betrayed by the JD (U) and how they joined hands with the Congress.
Will you search for new partners in Bihar?
We have not given it much thought. We want to expand the National Democratic Alliance. However, we have to think about it. Options are still open for us. But I want to clarify that under no condition will we ever join hands with the RJD or the Congress.
You did a commendable job as the finance minister of the state. Now what challenges do you think this government will face in the coming years?
We created a strong base in the state in the last seven and half years in every sector. Time will tell how they run the government after this. However, there will always be a question mark on the ability of the government since its priority has changed. The state government is standing on an edge. This type of government cannot make hard decisions.
What about the goods and services tax now?
It will definitely be delayed now. The search for a new chairman of the empowered committee is still on. However, five states will go to the polls later this year and the Lok Sabha elections are also scheduled early next year. Therefore, I do not think it will now come in the next financial year.
