The sound of a new era is being heard in the politics of Bihar after Nitish Kumar took oath as Rajya Sabha MP. The equations of power in the state have completely changed and now all eyes are on who will lead the new government.
It is almost certain in the political circles that this time a face from the Bharatiya Janata Party will occupy the post of Chief Minister, but there is doubt about who that face will be. Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Hari Sahni has given a statement which has raised the political temperature from Patna to Delhi. He has clearly indicated that all the speculations being made regarding the post of Chief Minister may remain unfounded.
While speaking to the journalists at Patna Airport, Hari Sahni openly expressed his views on the discussions taking place regarding the Chief Minister’s race. When he was asked whether Samrat Chaudhary would be the next Chief Minister, he gave a cryptic answer citing the working style of his party. Sahni said that BJP is the largest party in the world and it has some special characteristics of its own. Comparing election results or major decisions, he said that often people predict a result and discuss among themselves, but the reality is far from it. According to him, the decision of the top leadership is sometimes so shocking that people cannot even guess it.
Hari Sahni also responded politely to the discussions about his being in the race for Chief Minister. He said that it is one thing to have discussions on the streets and in the media, but the decision is not in the hands of ‘people sitting at the shop’ or journalists. He stressed that what is going on in the mind of the central leadership of BJP and whose name will be approved in the interest of the state, is decided only at the top level of the organization. According to Sahni, the decision taken keeping the organization and national interest paramount will be final, and at the moment it is too early to seal any name or make claims. His statement has increased the uneasiness among the supporters of Samrat Chaudhary and has given rise to the possibilities of new faces.
At the same time, Hari Sahni also tried to put an end to the news of Nitish Kumar’s displeasure. He completely rejected the claims that Nitish Kumar was dissatisfied with anything after returning from Delhi to Patna. Sahni argued that Nitish Kumar had long desired to become a member of all four houses (Assembly, Legislative Council, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). Now that his intention has been fulfilled and he has taken oath, the question of resentment does not arise. He said that Nitish Kumar is receiving good wishes from all sides and he is satisfied with his achievement. There is now a situation of ‘wait and watch’ in the politics of Bihar, where a ‘surprise card’ of BJP can decide the direction of power in the state.