Stop mourning Nitish Kumar. He’s not your tau
I am glad Nitish Kumar is back in BJP's arms, not because I care for either, but because it’s nice to see lovers unite in the end. Life mirrors art. Raj and Simran are meant to live happily ever after. You enjoyed the battle of the exes. Now consume their consummation.
I am also glad that armchair analysts are squirming at their continued irrelevance. It’s no secret that those who were supposed to be observers chose sides over time in this battle between Modi-led NDA and Nobody-led UPA. When you have a stake in the outcome, it does get emotional. But please stop there.
What is it that makes us believe that one party has some kind of natural right to fool the people? Why can’t alliances take turn and have their share? Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas. Nobody as much as raises an eyebrow over Lalu Prasad’s minor kids buying plots and farmhouses in Delhi as if they are entitled to hanky-panky, as if this is natural. But everyone is shocked at Nitish quitting the grand alliance, lock, stock and Lalu’s sons.
Pundits are taken aback as if something hit them out of nowhere. They ignored all the signs like they tend to do, blinded by their own idea of what colour should India's politics paint itself in. The Modi-Nitish duet began soon after Nitish came to power and realised he is not as powerful in his new dispensation.
Lalu wasn’t a Sushil Modi minding his own finances. Lalu planted his progeny in Nitish’s cabinet, who behaved like princes because they were. Sushil Modi was producing new documents every other day in Patna incriminating the young boys of the new royalty. Where do you think they came from? Nitish has been preparing the ground for some time. So go on and pretend he changed overnight.
I am however sick of words and phrases being thrown around as if they meant anything in politics. Opportunism is the charge against Nitish Kumar. What do you do when opportunity knocks? Exactly what Nitish did.
Rahul Gandhi says principle-free opportunism is the hallmark of Indian politics. He is right. Damn right it is the hallmark of politics, not only Indian. Congress says Nitish fought against BJP, so he shouldn't form a government with BJP’s help. How many times has Congress propped up a government led by people who sought to defeat the Congress? Both at the Centre and states?
The purpose of politics is to acquire power and perpetuate it for as long as one can. Social service without power is called running an NGO. NGO stands for non-government organisation while what politicians do is likely to involve a government.
Nitish led a government and all he wanted to do was continue leading that government. It was becoming untenable to do that with allies like RJD, so he sought another partner. If you are looking for morality, try another room but make sure it’s not called politics.
Armchair pundits really put the anal in analysts when they insist Nitish has no constituency of his own in Bihar. Well, how come Lalu, Congress and BJP want him to be the chief minister of their alliances?
The man not only has a constituency and following across the state, cutting across caste and class lines, he is more popular than the great messiah called Lalu Prasad. Whether he remains as popular is to be seen, but the last time he was allies with BJP for 17 long years, his popularity graph had only soared.
For those accusing Nitish of going back on his words, a gentle reminder: He is a politician. Politicians go back on their words all the bleeding time. Why would that go against him? You can accuse him of betraying the Bihar mandate and the people of Bihar all you want, but the people of Bihar will get a chance to judge him.
Or they may not. They didn't judge Lalu for two decades. Their choice! Why did Nitish choose Modi? Well, for the same reason he chose Lalu once. His choice! It suits him. Stop this mourning. Nothing is lost, except your virginity. Enjoy while it lasts because there’s enough trouble waiting to reclaim the centrestage.