MISSION BIHAR: THE JP’ IN BJP

BJP IN BIHAR

- Amitabh Srivastava

Politics is the art of timely appropriation. And who could be more artful in the craft than the BJP, which has now turned to anti-Emergency icon Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP?

On October 11, Union home minister Amit Shah reached Bihar for the second time in 18 days. Obviously, the state, which has 40 Lok Sabha seats, is high on the BJP’s electoral calculus after chief minister Nitish Kumar dumped it in August to form an alternative government with the RJD, Congress and four other parties. Time and place are key symbolic tools. Guess when and where Shah arrived, with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in tow? Day: JP’s 120th birth anniversary. Venue: Sitab Diara village, Saran district, JP’s birthplace. As Shah unveiled a statue of the socialist icon, he attacked those who claimed to be disciples of JP but are sitting in the Congress’s lap” for power. A plum barb aimed jointly at Nitish and Lalu Prasad.