Patriarch's powerplay

Nitish Kumar decimated the opposition, thanks to his women-centric policies, a vote base that cut across caste lines and the formidable organisational muscle of the BJP

- BY PRATUL SHARMA

Nitish Kumar ended Lalu Prasad's 15-year rule in 2005, a defeat from which Lalu—despite his national profile during the United Progressive Alliance years—never recovered in Bihar.

An opportunity appeared in 2020 when his son and political heir, Tejashwi Yadav, mounted a serious challenge with a promise to sanction 10 lakh jobs. The election, held during the pandemic and amid the return of migrant workers, saw Nitish losing support but not his position. Tejashwi, 30, emerged as leader of the single largest party but could not form the government.

Five years later, a more politically experienced Tejashwi raised the stakes with the promise of one government job per family. Yet, the RJD lost 50 seats, while Nitish’s JD(U) gained 42 seats over its 2020 tally. Cohesive campaign, effective political management and Nitish’s credibility helped the National Democratic Alliance retain power with an impressive margin. At 74, Nitish is one of the oldest and longest serving chief ministers, and he was the face of the NDA campaign. The strong appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP’s election machinery, too, played a key role.

In terms of messaging, the NDA relied on two potent themes: repeated invocation of the Lalu era as 'jungle raj' and a focus on the delivery of welfare schemes.