'Second Gandhi': JD(U) posters praise Nitish Kumar; BJP, RJD object
A fresh political row erupted in Bihar after posters hailing Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as "the country's second Gandhi" appeared in Patna on Sunday. Allegedly put up by members of his party, the Janata Dal (United), the posters lauded Kumar for "teaching the lesson of equality" and emphasized his efforts to bring about social reforms, drawing parallels to the path taken by Mahatma Gandhi. However, they invited reactions from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Why does this story matter?
The controversial posters appear at a time when the opposition bloc, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), of which both the RJD and the JD(U) are members, is preparing to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar is known for his political swerves, going from the opposition alliance to the BJP. He is also regarded as an ardent supporter of Hindi, which is in line with the BJP's objective of making Hindi the national language.
RJD leader says posters an insult to Gandhi
Senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari alleged that the posters were put up by Kumar's followers and stated that Gandhi "should not be insulted." He cited Ram Manohar Lohia, stating that people like Gandhi are born once in a thousand years. The RJD and JD(U) are partners in the INDIA bloc, and their leaders, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Kumar, have experienced a rollercoaster relationship, alternating between cooperation and rivalry over time.
'Most opportunistic leader': BJP's swipe at Kumar
The JD(U) posters in Bihar's Patna also faced backlash from the BJP. Bihar BJP spokesperson Kuntal Krishna labeled it "despicable" that Kumar was being compared to Gandhi. Krishna accused the Bihar chief minister of being "the most opportunistic leader of the country's politics," highlighting that despite opposing Yadav for thirty years, he is now aligning with him for the sake of the prime minister's post.
Kumar made strides in bringing opposition together
As Bihar chief minister, Kumar has made significant strides in recent times in bringing the opposition parties on one page and successfully completing the caste census in the state. His work in these areas has earned praise from his party members and others, who have dubbed him "the country's second Gandhi." However, this comparison reportedly has the potential to divide the opposition and draw criticism from other political parties.
