Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, June 27
Fresh political turmoil started in NDA in Bihar when the former union minister, Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Thursday suggested the next assembly elections in Bihar should be led by a BJP leader.
Choubey who represented Buxar for 10 years in Lok Sabha said, “I have communicated my demand to the top leader. Nitish Kumar is in the NDA, will continue in the NDA, but a BJP leader should lead the NDA in 2025.”
Since 2005 February, BJP in Bihar is in the NDA and recognised the JDU leader as its leader. Though, Nitish Kumar deserted BJP thrice in the state, in the just concluded campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, he repeatedly declared before the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi that now he would not leave NDA.
Choubey’s statement at a press conference ignited politics in the state. Welfare minister Jama Khan reacted by saying in Bihar NDA means Nitish Kumar. Rajya Sabha member of JDU commented, Nitish will continue to lead NDA.
JDU with 12 members in the Lok Sabha is an important supporter to the BJP led government at the Centre. In 2020 assembly elections in Bihar, though BJP had bagged about double number of seats, it allowed its junior partner JDU to head the government.
Ashwini Choubey created flutter in the BJP too by declaring party workers have rejected the leadership of an imported leader. Samrat Chaudhury, who had joined BJP deserting JDU and RJD was appointed state president in 2022 to attract Kurmi Kushwaha votes from the JDU.
Choubey who organised a conference of activists of the JP led movement to recall the atrocities during the emergency said the younger generation must know about the torturous emergency days. He had suggested to the Prime Minister to remind the people about emergency on its 50th anniversary.
When asked about reports circulating in the media that he was also being accommodated in a Raj Bhawan, he said he would continue to serve the people.
