In the ‘game of thrones’ that is Indian politics, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has once again emerged as a kingmaker, with his party holding the key to the formation of the new government after the BJP failed to cross the majority mark by itself.
The political journey of the Janata Dal-United (JDU) chief has been marked by many a strategic repositioning, which has kept the public thoroughly amused over the years. From breaking away from the NDA to joining hands with Lalu Yadav and then reuniting with the BJP, Nitish Kumar has become infamous for his many ‘flip-flops’. His ‘penchant’ for changing sides has time and time again has become fodder for memers.
Now that Nitish Kumar has once again found himself at the political center stage, meme creators have been quick to capture his political somersaults through hilarious memes.
📌 DDLJ’s ‘Palat’ scene, featuring SRK and Kajol, grabs eyeballs
A meme showing the INDIA alliance waiting for Nitish Kumar to perform yet another political double cross has the internet in splits. The meme draws parallels with an iconic scene in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
📌 Would Nitish Kumar ‘backstab’ the NDA a la Katappa, wonder Twitterati
In a twist no one saw coming, Kattappa killed Bahubali in the first installment of the eponymous blockbuster. Now, with the NDA’s future hanging balance, memers are wondering whether Nitish will once again join hands with the INDIA bloc, backstabbing the NDA, for noble or ignoble reasons, depending on which side of the political spectrum one falls.
Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu backstabbing NDA will be cinema 🥵
📌 Parallels with Game of Thrones
Some meme makers couldn’t help but compare Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu to Game of Thrones’ master kingmakers Lord Varys and Petyr Baelish ‘Little Finger.’
Now the Game of Thrones is in the hands of Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. pic.twitter.com/ToC72Su1kr
Sharing stills from the film, Fighter, some Twitter users shared the conspiracy theory that perhaps Nitish Kumar was the misunderstood protagonist of the thriller that is Indian politics, and perhaps he was always an agent of the INDIA bloc.
A clip from Panchayat where Pankaj Jha is seen helping people onto a trolley is also doing the rounds. When people ask Singh to join them, he replies, “Hum aayenge, zarur ayenge. Hum antim me aayenge” (I’ll join, I’ll join you in the end).
Aishwarya Khosla is a senior editorial figure at The Indian Express, where she spearheads the digital strategy and execution for the Books & Literature and Puzzles & Games sections. With over eight years of experience in high-stakes journalism, Aishwarya specializes in literary criticism, cultural commentary, and long-form features that explore the complex intersection of identity, politics, and social change.
Aishwarya’s analytical depth is anchored by her prestigious Nehru Fellowship in Politics and Elections. This intensive research fellowship in policy analysis and political communications informs her nuanced approach to cultural journalism, allowing her to provide readers with unique insights into how literature and media reflect broader political shifts.
As a trusted voice for the Indian Express audience, she authors the popular newsletters, Meanwhile, Back Home and Books 'n' Bits, and hosts the podcast series, Casually Obsessed.
Before her current role, Aishwarya spent several years at Hindustan Times, where she provided dedicated coverage of the Punjabi diaspora, theater, and national politics. Her career is defined by a commitment to intellectual rigor, making her a definitive authority on modern Indian culture and letters.
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