Specially from Bihar

Some other political signals were also blowing in the wind at the maidan on Sunday. In contrast to Nitish’s other public outings,anti-Congress rhetoric wasn’t prominently on display. Even as he blamed niggardly Central policies for Bihar’s development deficit down the years,he was careful not to target the current regime at the Centre. In fact,he repeatedly mentioned the hope offered by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s assurance — made during the presentation of the Economic Survey and the Union budget in Parliament — to reconsider the criteria for backwardness. It was also clear that this was a JD(U)-only show of strength in Delhi. The BJP was conspicuous by its absence at the Ramlila Maidan and Nitish chose not to refer to the NDA. Bihar’s chief minister did not mention Narendra Modi by name either,but his challenge to the man who has recently anointed himself the BJP’s undeclared prime ministerial candidate rang loud and unmistakable: Bihar’s development model was inclusive,he said,it would carry everyone along. This was the real development model for India,Nitish claimed.

Much like Modi in Gujarat,Nitish has sought to craft an appeal in Bihar that rests on an invocation of “regional pride”,though the definition varies in the two states,especially in terms of addressing or including minority concerns. It is no surprise,then,that he should now try to leverage this plank for securing a role in national politics. Yet,he will have to walk a fine line. To establish the imperative of a special status for Bihar,Nitish devoted much of his speech on Sunday to a plaintive description of his state’s underdevelopment. Coming from a leader who has been credited with recasting the Bihar story into one that puts optimism and aspiration at its centre,the litany of grievances could be seen as out of political character,if not disorienting.