How Haryana CM sparked a political row in Bihar, sent BJP scrambling

Saini was the chief guest at the event and shared the stage with senior NDA leaders such as Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, former Maharashtra Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal, and Rajya Sabha MPs Upendra Kushwaha and Kalpana Saini.

While the Haryana CM’s comments triggered reactions in Bihar, the BJP unit in his state officially did not issue any statement and his state unit colleagues downplayed the comments. “Saini’s statement just means that the NDA will form the government in Bihar again, and the NDA leaders will decide who the next CM will be. Currently, we are focused on contesting elections. It is natural for leaders of each party in the alliance to say its leader will be CM,” said Haryana BJP media coordinator Sanjay Ahuja.

In Bihar, the BJP leaders reiterated that Nitish remains the face of the NDA in the state. Their comments came after Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Monday claimed there was “internal competition among Bihar BJP leaders to become CM”.

“There are many within the BJP staking claim to the CM’s post. It is up to the JD(U) to seek clarifications from its ally. But Bihar will have a fresh and new CM,” Yadav said, likening CM Nitish Kumar’s rule to a 20-year-old vehicle in need of replacement.

“We have said it several times that the NDA will go into the Assembly polls under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. There is no two ways about it,” Bihar BJP chief Dilip Jaiswal said after the party brass directed him to issue a statement, according to party insiders.

Choudhary also ruled himself out of the CM race. “Nitish alone is the CM face and the coming elections will be fought under his leadership,” he said.

Pointing out that Union Home Minister Amit Shah last week announced Nitish as the NDA’s CM face in Bihar, JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha said, “What anyone else says does not matter, but one is free to have their point of view.”

Shah’s remarks had come as a clarification after he sparked a controversy by telling a local TV channel in Bihar that the BJP Parliamentary Board would decide on the CM question.