As Nitish Kumar announces Rajya Sabha entry, Bihar braces for life without its architect of change. This pre-election pivot from chief ministership closes a chapter of revival, sparking questions on the state’s political trajectory.
Pre-2005 Bihar was hellish: 1980s decay snowballing into Lalu’s caste wars and mass slaughters. Travel terrorized—villagers couldn’t reach district HQs safely. Nitish’s infrastructure boom—flights, toll-free roads—erased barriers, making Mumbai-to-village trips a breeze.
Unity in diversity defined him. BJP partner sans BJP policies, he embodied socialism. Bridged Lalu-widened caste trenches and communal gaps, preventing atrocities that plagued prior governments.
Crime control was phenomenal. Women, absent from public spaces before, now dominate them fearlessly. Cycles symbolized emancipation, propelling girls to education hubs. Prohibition mitigated spousal violence, a boon for women despite UP smuggling.
Social engineering shone: EBC panchayat quotas, caste harmony dialogues. 50% women’s reservation everywhere empowered them equally, dismantling male proxies in power.
Coalition virtuoso: NDA mainstay with breaks—2013 anti-Modi split, RJD experiment crumbling on graft, 2020 NDA ditch over poaching claims, 2022 INDIA formation, 2024 NDA recommitment. Recent wins and health issues foreshadow exit, with home to BJP deputy.
‘Sushasan Babu,’ mentored by George Fernandes et al., tamed Bihar into discipline. His void may redirect Muslim votes to Congress, heralding its resurgence independent of RJD, as per pundits.