Poll strategist Prashant Kishor with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Credit: PTI File Photo
JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar rejoining the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) "is not as much as a tangible gain, but more of a psychological blow to the Opposition"— said poll strategist Prashant Kishor as he shared his insights on what Kumar's defection means for the Opposition.
Of the 243 seats in Bihar, a political party or an alliance will have to win at least half i.e., 122 seats to register majority and form a government in the north Indian state. With 78 seats— the BJP is dominant in Bihar politics currently, followed by RJD which has 79.
Kumar getting back into the NDA fold is not likely to fetch the BJP seats in the state, hinted Kishor in an interview with India Today. "It is not as much a tangible gain to BJP. By taking one of the architects of the (opposition) alliance out in Bihar, BJP has given a psychological blow to the Opposition [sic]", the poll strategist pointed.
Time and again, Kumar transcended between political parties to remain the chief minister of Bihar. However, his multiple switches from 2013 to 2023 resulted in declining strength of JD(U) in the Assembly. From 115 seats in the 2010 Bihar elections to 71 in 2015— JD(U) today stands with 45 MLAs only— however, adding these with BJP's 78 was the math that Kumar solved for the latest shift.
Stating that Nitish Kumar was "playing the last innings of his life", Kishor stressed that had the Opposition formed the I.N.D.I.A alliance a few years ago, things would have been different. Kishor's statement refers to Opposition's consideration of Kumar as a key element in the I.N.D.I.A bloc— given his reach and experience.
"They (I.N.D.I.A) thought him (Nitish Kumar) as one of the key components of the new formation. BJP, by taking him back, has gone for a strategy of losing a battle to win a war. On his own, he was not bringing something that would have turned the tables. But, perception-wise, yes, there were those who believed in Opposition strength," Kishor further told the publication.
Kishor added, "The people have rejected him. That is why he can do anything to save his chair."