NDA Puts All Speculation to Rest: Nitish Kumar is Our Chief Minister
In a significant development that clears all uncertainty around the National Democratic Alliance's leadership in Bihar, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has unequivocally declared Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar as the coalition's chief ministerial candidate for the 2025 assembly elections.
The senior BJP leader, who has been actively campaigning in Bihar ahead of the crucial second phase of voting, firmly stated that there is absolutely no confusion within the NDA regarding its leadership position. During an interview with ANI on Monday, Pradhan emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already made the alliance's position perfectly clear.
Unity in NDA Ranks
Pradhan directly addressed questions about potential discontent within the Kushwaha community, asserting that "the Kushwaha community is on our side this time." He highlighted that prominent Kushwaha leaders Samrat Chaudhary and Upendra Kushwaha have both aligned with the NDA, indicating strong social consolidation behind the alliance.
The Union Minister didn't miss the opportunity to contrast the NDA's clear position with what he described as ambiguity within the opposition Mahagathbandhan. He challenged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to explicitly name Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav as their chief ministerial candidate, something he claimed they have avoided doing so far.
Addressing Health and Campaign Strategy
Responding to concerns raised by opposition parties about Nitish Kumar's health, Pradhan provided compelling counter-evidence. "He is travelling 250 kilometers every day," the BJP leader revealed, adding that he has maintained constant contact with the Bihar Chief Minister over the past two months.
Pradhan, who claims to have known Kumar for 20-25 years, stated he sees no difference in the leader's capabilities and firmly rejected age as a factor in assessing someone's health and performance.
The Union Minister also addressed questions about the apparent lack of joint rallies featuring both Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Kumar. He explained that having leaders campaign individually was a deliberate strategy decided by the alliance, while noting that all NDA leaders had shared the stage during the campaign launch in Samastipur on October 24.
A Strong Endorsement for Nitish Kumar
In what appeared to be a strong rebuttal to critics who have described Kumar as unpredictable, Pradhan offered a robust defense of the JD(U) leader. "Calling Nitish Kumar mercurial is an injustice to him," he asserted, describing the Bihar CM as one of the few "mature and calm-minded leaders in Indian politics."
Pradhan emphasized that Kumar's decision to ally with the NDA stemmed from shared opinions and policies, while acknowledging that the Bihar leader maintains independent views on certain matters - something the BJP respects.
The Union Minister concluded with a powerful statement about the NDA's composition, describing it as "a social alliance, not a political one" and calling the current combination of Nitish Kumar, BJP, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha a "100% guaranteed formula for Bihar's development."
As Bihar prepares for the second phase of voting on November 11, covering 122 assembly constituencies across 20 districts, the NDA has positioned itself as a united front with clear leadership. The election results, scheduled to be announced on November 14, will determine whether this consolidation translates into electoral success.
