‘No doubt about Nitish Kumar continuing as CM,’ says Dharmendra Pradhan ahead of Bihar polls

Dharmendra Pradhan

As political tempers rise ahead of the first phase of Bihar assembly elections on November 6, the BJP’s election in-charge for the state, Dharmendra Pradhan, has reiterated that there is “no doubt” over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s position if the NDA returns to power.

In an exclusive interview with News18, Pradhan dismissed speculation about Kumar’s future in the alliance, asserting that the JD(U) leader will continue to lead the state.

“There was never a doubt whether Nitish Kumar would continue as a CM or not. The chief minister himself has been saying that under the guidance of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi, we will only take the state forward. Those who are humiliating Nitish Kumar will have to eat humble pie,” he said.

The Union minister also launched a sharp attack on the opposition Mahagathbandhan, particularly targeting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav.

“People who are dynasty and believe in divisive politics are politically bankrupt. They are intolerant and narrow-minded along with being arrogant; therefore, they have no control over their language, and have forgotten all decency,” Pradhan said, accusing them of lacking respect for elders and political maturity.

Commenting on the NDA’s prospects, Pradhan said he was confident the alliance would exceed the expectations set by Home Minister Amit Shah. “We do not want to give any numbers, but our leader Amit Shah has said we will get 160. I am sure we will go over and above that,” he said.

Pradhan also hit out at the opposition’s manifesto, claiming that their promises were unrealistic. “We have spoken about jobs and employment, both, and what we have said are all doable. We are not promising the moon to people, we are not Mungerilal,” he said, referring to the 1980s television character known for his daydreams.

He alleged that the Mahagathbandhan’s return would plunge the state back into the era of lawlessness. “…people have not forgotten that era of ‘jungle raj’ and those people who support that kind of mindset are looking at forming ‘jungle raj 2’,” he remarked.

According to Pradhan, the NDA’s two-decade governance record stands in sharp contrast to the opposition’s track record. “People will not believe what the opposition is saying because they know very well that they can promise the moon. They are not going to come back to power. I’m confident because people are with us; we have improved the law and order situation. We have done well for the people. We are determined to give Bihar a new-age economy in which the youth and women are with us,” he added.

Dismissing the potential impact of Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj Party, Pradhan said the Bihar contest is clearly polarised between the ruling NDA and the opposition alliance. “This is a fight between the NDA and the opposition… NDA is our strength, and we are fighting together; we started this alliance in 1996 in Bihar, and since then we have only seen this becoming solid. It’s a social alliance, not just a political alliance,” he said.

As Bihar heads into polling on Thursday, the BJP and its allies are banking on Nitish Kumar’s leadership and their 20-year governance record, while the opposition aims to project itself as a force for change.