Ranchi buzzed with admiration as Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi extolled Bihar’s Nitish Kumar on his Rajya Sabha entry. Far from power-hungry, Kumar’s service to state and society deserves boundless praise, Marandi insisted.
Their paths crossed in Union Cabinet; Marandi tracked Kumar’s ascent amid Bihar’s turmoil. Before 2000, the state was synonymous with anarchy—extremism, terror, lawlessness stifled any hope of progress. ‘Development? Unimaginable,’ he recalled.
Enter Nitish: myths busted, rule of law enforced, electricity stabilized early, roads revolutionized the landscape. Bihar’s transformation is real, with citizens vouching for better infrastructure.
Opposition noise is par for the course, Marandi dismissed. ‘Only Nitish and BJP deliver; rivals feel sidelined.’ On Bengal’s Governor row, he termed Banerjee’s rants opportunistic. Her NRC fury? Linked to Rohingya waves securing Bengal documents before fanning out nationally—now facing purges.
Marandi’s comments underscore BJP’s alliance solidarity, positioning Nitish as a development icon against regional rivals’ narratives.