File photo of JDU leader Nitish Kumar
In the game of chess that is Bihar, Nitish Kumar has scored a winning move by being invited to take over as chief minister. He will be sworn in on Sunday and has been asked by Governor KN Tripathi to prove his majority three weeks later.
Mr Kumar today declared as "failed" the attempt that he alleges the BJP made to "script a breakup" in his Janata Dal United by supporting Jitan Ram Manjhi's rebellion. "They wanted to form a government by jugaad technology, but they totally failed in this," Mr Kumar said.
Mr Manjhi made a dramatic exit as Bihar chief minister this morning, driving up to the Governor's residence hours before he was to seek a vote of confidence and resigning.
Even with the support of the BJP's 87 MLAs, Mr Manjhi faced certain defeat in today's trust vote.
The BJP, which had instructed its legislators to vote for Mr Manjhi today, will not be displeased at the turn of events. The party's support was designed to woo the Mahadalits, Mr Manjhi's caste, one of the poorest in Bihar and also a significant votebank.
Also, the party wanted to checkmate Nitish Kumar, but, said sources, was not keen to see Mr Manjhi continue as chief minister, given his record as an administrator.
Sushil Modi of the BJP said yesterday that Mr Manjhi's winning the trust vote was immaterial. "We are only looking at ensuring that Nitish Kumar's insult to a Mahadalit is not taken lying down," he said.
The BJP hopes to win a big majority on its own this time in Bihar, where for years it contested elections as the JD(U)'s junior partner. The two parties aborted a lengthy alliance at the insistence of Mr Kumar ahead of last year's national election.
Nitish Kumar was opposed to the BJP's decision to select his arch-rival, then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, as its prime ministerial candidate. The JD(U) suffered a rout at the hands of the BJP and its allies and Mr Kumar resigned owning responsibility.
The battle for Bihar this year is seen as a BJP vs Nitish Kumar contest. Mr Kumar has now joined hands with his old rivals Lalu Prasad Yadav and the Congress to take on the BJP.