Patna, April 16 A fresh political storm has hit the ruling NDA in Bihar after Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini recently projected Samrat Choudhary as the Chief Ministerial face for the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
Amidst the growing speculation, Union Minister Chirag Paswan stepped in to put an end to the debate. Speaking to reporters in Patna, Paswan said: “Who has a doubt on Nitish Kumar? NDA will contest under his leadership. He will continue to be the Chief Minister of Bihar after 2025.”
His statement comes as a direct contradiction to Chief Minister Saini’s remarks.
Following Saini’s comment, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary also clarified that Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA in the upcoming elections.
However, JD-U seems unconvinced by the damage control efforts. On Wednesday, JD-U launched a full-blown poster campaign from its Patna state office, sending a firm message to its allies.
A large hoarding with the slogan: ‘25 se 30, Phir Se Nitish’ was prominently displayed, clearly projecting Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister from 2025 to 2030.
Other posters listed Nitish Kumar’s achievements in governance, employment, women empowerment, and social development, such as: ‘Rozgar ka matlab’,’ Nitish sarkar’, ‘sisters and daughters’ dreams come true’, ‘thanks to Nitish government’, and ‘entire Bihar is our family’.
Notably, these posters feature only Nitish Kumar’s picture, not even that of NDA allies, hinting at a subtle but sharp assertion of JD-U’s dominance.
Observers believe that the Haryana Chief Minister’s statement was a strategic test balloon floated by the BJP to gauge reactions about alternative leadership in Bihar.
The backlash — both from within the BJP and the JD-U — suggests that Nitish Kumar’s position as Chief Minister face remains firm, at least for now.
Adding weight to JD-U’s position, Nishant Kumar, son of Nitish Kumar, claimed on Tuesday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already approved Nitish Kumar’s leadership for the 2025 elections.
--IANS
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