Bihar remains a prime Indian state where ideas matter as much, or more sometimes, than the market.
Only months into the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) arrangement, friction between the two main components of the Bihar government on a range of issues has surfaced on prime time television.
Here is a short list:
- Where some members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have lauded the “Yogi model” of enforcing “law and order” via “encounter” killings and “bulldozer” plunder, leaders of the socialist Janata Dal (United) have made bold to say that only “constitutional” means will prevail in Bihar;
- Where members of the BJP have voiced alarm at instances of “love jihad”, the socialists have pointed to the Special Marriage Act of 1953 which makes legal facilitation of inter-faith marital unions. They have speculated that a time may come when the right-wing may outlaw inter-caste marriages as well.
- On the subject of the Waqf Board legislation, now before a parliamentary Committee, the JD(U) has likewise expressed concern about transgressing on authorised minority rights.
- A major source of friction between the alliance partners remains the status of the Uniform Civil Code which the BJP wishes promptly to implement but the socialists frown upon.
- Same with regard to the issue of the caste census; where the allies are more than keen on having such a census done, the big brother faction continues to double-speak on the issue.
- And, lest you think this one has been buried deep, think again – the demand for a “special status” for Bihar continues to be alive and well among the BJP’s allies. Only one or two make the defensive argument that Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s “special package” has, for now, taken care of the meat of that demand.
Last but never the least, chagrin among the front running leaders of the BJP at having to suffer a chief minister from a party which has far less seats in the legislature than the saffron component still seems to be the driving angst of the contentions.
So how may politics in Bihar shape up in the coming months?
Is it possible that an oscillating head of government may yet again have to take a call on the side of the issues which his party feels strongly about, and perhaps strike another “principled” blow for secular and socialist politics?
And, how may his erstwhile ideological buddies respond to such a “principled” urge once again?
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar should know that come the next elections, there is little chance that the BJP will yet again agree to forsaking the numero uno chair.
Will that be a continuing concern for Bihar’s perpetual leader?
Whichever way the political cookie crumbles, it is Bihar that may once again yield a new future.
Badri Raina taught at Delhi University.
