Why Bihar Is Important?

Expedient Politics: Why Bihar Is Important?

• Published on July 28, 2017
• • http://www.jagritbihar.com/2017/07/28/expedient-politics-bihar-important/
  • • By Deepak Parvatiyar

Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United party was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance for 17 years. 

Nitish wanted to grow and nurtured Prime ministerial ambitions. So his party deserted NDA hoping he could position himself well against Narendra Modi in the 2014 elections. 

After all, like Modi he had won successive elections and returned to power in Bihar on development plank! He experimented with others and of late realised he can't compete with Narendra Modi in today's situation. So, as they say, if you can't defeat your enemy then join him! He needed some convenient excuse and when found one (Tejashwi), now he has done so. He is back as the number one leader of Bihar...a position that he had ceded to the Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo -- an irrepressible Lalu Prasad Yadav, who called all the shots in the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) government in the state.

So why so much ruckus? If you wish, call it decadence; call it expediency; call it opportunism; call it shamelessness! Bismarck said "politics is the art of the possible, the attainable -- the art of the next best thing". Some use simpler words and say politics is the art of compromise. Question is compromise what? Self esteem? Pride? Ethos? Ideology? There is another saying -- Power corrupts! We have seen that too. 

So why should much be made of what happened in Bihar in the last three days? First Nitish broke the ruling Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan comprising Janata Dal-United, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress party and resigned as Chief Minister on July 26, 2017; then he returned to the BJP-led NDA fold after a gap of almost four years and with its support, returned as the Chief Minister just a little over 15 hours of his resignation; and finally proved his majority in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on July 28. 

Why the three-days of political developments makes Bihar important?

Bihar is important because we, the common people, want power for all... the essence of democracy where Janata is Janardan (people are supreme); 

Bihar is also important because it juxtaposes ambition and struggle of today's politicians  reflected in  the shrewdness and bebasi (this Hindi word is more apt than its loose English equivalent, helplessness) of Nitish Kumar; 

Bihar is also important because it demonstrates that ideologies have little relevance in politics and can be compromised; 

Bihar is important as it proves yet again that politics, with all its above mentioned attributes, reigns supreme. Bihar is important because it reconfirms that masses are only meant to be herded...jiski laathi uski bhains (Might is right)!

Politics is an important discipline. Today it has become the cuss word. It is disastrous that more educated youths today are becoming averse to politics. Political institutions are being discredited.

Politics is not bad but politicians have given it a bad name. But then, in today's context, as Nitish proves, they are perennially sailing between Scylla and Charybdis in pursuit of more personal power. For this one has to be thick skinned to weather all storms. And to shun emotions is a prerequisite for a thick skin!

Bihar is important as it further explains why more people are dissuaded by politics. But what is more important is that Bihar is politically important nationally and none can ignore its politics...and politicians. At the end, my humble request to our youngsters: None should hate politics. Rather make politics relevant for us.

Also see: http://www.elections.in/blog/will-modis-rallies-and-promises-lead-to-electoral-gains-for-bjp-in-bihar/