As Oppn alliance takes form, JD(U) leader comes out with a book showcasing Nitish Kumar’s ‘national role’

Two senior JD(U) ministers in the Nitish-led Mahagathbandhan government, Bijendra Prasad Yadav and Vijay Kumar Choudhary, on Friday launched the book titled Sansad Mein Nitish Kumar here. JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar was also present. Interestingly, no leaders from allies RJD or Congress were invited to the launch.

The first part of the book, titled ‘Krishipradhan Bharat’, discusses some of Nitish’s speeches on agriculture policy. Nitish was the Union agriculture minister from November 1999 to March 2000 and May 2000 to March 2001.

“Nitish Kumar is the one who successfully decentralised marketing of agriculture produce by dismantling the Agriculture Produce Market Committee and replacing it with the decentralised Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies. We needed to tell people how progressive his ideas were when the country was about to formulate progressive agricultural policies,” Jagnarayan Singh Yadav told The Indian Express.

The second part of the book discusses Kumar’s work as the Union railways minister from March 1998 to August 1999 and March 2001 to May 2004. “Nitish Kumar’s speeches as railways minister focus on how he got a special budget from then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for modernising the Railways, including putting in place a new signalling system,” Yadav said.

The third volume, ‘Vikasshil Bharat’, is a compilation of Nitish’s speeches as an MP and the Union surface transport minister, a post he held between April 1998 and August 1999. “Nitish Kumar’s infrastructure overhaul of Bihar after becoming CM could also be attributed to his vision of a developing and developed India,” Yadav said.

The fourth and fifth volumes of the book cover the JD(U) supremo’s speeches in Parliament on Indian society and politics, respectively. “Nitish Kumar’s ideas are heavily influenced by the ideology of Jayaprakash Narayan and Ram Manohar Lohia. His speeches focused on an inclusive society that believes in cohesion and tolerance,” the author added.

On the timing of the book release, following the formation of the Opposition alliance in which Nitish has played a crucial part, Yadav said: “One is free to draw one’s own inferences and conclusions. But one thing is certain: Nitish Kumar’s role at the national level was a lesser-known story. I have been working on this book for the last five years and it is just a coincidence that it has been released now.”

Last month, Nitish’s close friend Uday Kant published a book titled Nitish Kumar: Antrang Mitron Ki Nazar Mei (Nitish Kumar: In the eyes of close friends). JD(U) leaders and others in Nitish’s circles have been trying to push the Bihar CM’s name into national discourse. Within the JD(U), the upcoming general election is often referred to as ‘Mission Nitish 2024’ even though Nitish has publicly ruled himself out of the race to be the INDIA bloc’s national convenor and has reiterated that he has no ambition to become the prime minister.