Nitish, a shrewd politician
3 Dec 2013 11:29 PM GMT
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is emerging as one of the most vocal critics of the BJP’s contender to the post of Prime Minster, Narender Modi. Both Modi and Nitish have been exchanging barbs against each other resulting in a sustained exercise of give and take at the national level. One of the reasons behind drifting away of Nitish from the NDA was Modi’s elevation.
Only because of this factor Nitish started keeping distance from the major constituent of the NDA, the BJP despite Nitish having a proper wave length with Atal and Advani. Nitish surprised one and all by returning a financial aid to Modi government for the flood victims in Bihar. Further Nitish also decided to cancel hosting a dinner at Patna in honor of the BJP executive since Modi would have been present in the dinner.
Nitish expressed his sharp reaction over Modi being adorned as the Chairman of the BJP campaign committee and later as the PM claimant. The latest decision of the BJP proved to be the last nail in the coffin of 17-year-old robust alliance. It is also worthwhile that Nitish had been earlier conceptualising a separate way from the BJP just taking a cue from the late V P Singh who used to run his government with outside support of the two different poles, the left and the BJP and decline sharing bread and the stage with the saffron party. By following V P Singh in this fashion, Nitish scored enough points to establish his secular credentials.
One may easily take note of the fact that Bihar CM is fully aware that the victory of the NDA in the last two assembly elections had been due to the combined efforts of both the parties. Further the BJP has a network of workers in Bihar. The landslide victory of the NDA under the leadership of Nitish would have not been possible without the contribution of the saffron workers. Nitish was also asked by the then PM Vajpayee to lead the NDA to form the minority government in Bihar despite JDU having the less number of MLAs than the BJP. Nitish had been somewhat worried after the part divorce between the two parties. Nitish is seemingly finding it difficult to fill the ministerial berths vacated because of walking away by the BJP. Apart from this, his many trusted leaders have announced their affiliation with Modi. This has probably made Nitish to hijack the saffron agenda. This might be his well calculated and conceived move and a part of his future strategy.
Nitish who had never any inclination towards construction of any temple, has suddenly been pitching for the construction of the world’s largest temple, Vishal Ramayana Temple. Is he likely to invoke lord Rama to reap a good political harvest in the ensuing elections? Other day at Patna in the presence of Dwarka Peeth Jagadguru Swami Swaroopanand Sarsavati, Nitish, unveiled a model of Virat Rama Temple to be constructed with an amount of Rs 500 crore at Janaki Nagar, 125 km away from the state capital, Near Kesharia in West Chamaparan District. The height of the proposed, 450 feet is going to be double of the height of world fame and UNESCO world heritage temple of Angkor Vat in Cambodia, constructed by a Hindu King called Suryavarman. The temple with a length of 2,800 feet and width of 1,400 feet at Janaki Nagar would come over an area of 200 acres. The construction is likely to commence in the next two months and the Majestic Temple may be opened to the devotees within 10 years. The temple would have a sitting capacity of 20,000 devotees in front of a raised ground around the main devotional place, a temple having life size statues of Lord Rama, Sita and their sons – Lov and Kush.
The temple would have a complex of altogether 18 well decorated temples, one of them a Shiva temple with the largest Shivling. The planned temple has a Gujarat connection too as the architect, Piyush Sompura is from Ahmadabad. Apart from this, Nitish tried to keep the height of the temple somewhat close to the under construction Statue of Unity being dedicated to Sardar Vallabhi Patel in Gujarat, a favourite project of Modi. Another incident of covering the Dome of the religiously famous Mahabodhi Temple with 300 Kg gold donated by the royal family of Thailand and others could not be termed as mere coincidence. It is understood that Nitish had certain reservations on giving permission to carry on the work, though he later conveyed his concurrence, keeping in view the political considerations and manifestation.
1,500 year old Temple situated 110 Km away from the state capital has become more attractive, beautiful and richer with a different look. Nitish government also facilitated the completion of the work by providing logistic support and security. The ASI could render its technical support only after Nitish gave a green signal. Nitish a shrewd politician knows how to kill the two birds with one stone and ensure political gains with his now open hidden saffron agenda in time to come.
The author is a communication consultant
Only because of this factor Nitish started keeping distance from the major constituent of the NDA, the BJP despite Nitish having a proper wave length with Atal and Advani. Nitish surprised one and all by returning a financial aid to Modi government for the flood victims in Bihar. Further Nitish also decided to cancel hosting a dinner at Patna in honor of the BJP executive since Modi would have been present in the dinner.
Nitish expressed his sharp reaction over Modi being adorned as the Chairman of the BJP campaign committee and later as the PM claimant. The latest decision of the BJP proved to be the last nail in the coffin of 17-year-old robust alliance. It is also worthwhile that Nitish had been earlier conceptualising a separate way from the BJP just taking a cue from the late V P Singh who used to run his government with outside support of the two different poles, the left and the BJP and decline sharing bread and the stage with the saffron party. By following V P Singh in this fashion, Nitish scored enough points to establish his secular credentials.
One may easily take note of the fact that Bihar CM is fully aware that the victory of the NDA in the last two assembly elections had been due to the combined efforts of both the parties. Further the BJP has a network of workers in Bihar. The landslide victory of the NDA under the leadership of Nitish would have not been possible without the contribution of the saffron workers. Nitish was also asked by the then PM Vajpayee to lead the NDA to form the minority government in Bihar despite JDU having the less number of MLAs than the BJP. Nitish had been somewhat worried after the part divorce between the two parties. Nitish is seemingly finding it difficult to fill the ministerial berths vacated because of walking away by the BJP. Apart from this, his many trusted leaders have announced their affiliation with Modi. This has probably made Nitish to hijack the saffron agenda. This might be his well calculated and conceived move and a part of his future strategy.
Nitish who had never any inclination towards construction of any temple, has suddenly been pitching for the construction of the world’s largest temple, Vishal Ramayana Temple. Is he likely to invoke lord Rama to reap a good political harvest in the ensuing elections? Other day at Patna in the presence of Dwarka Peeth Jagadguru Swami Swaroopanand Sarsavati, Nitish, unveiled a model of Virat Rama Temple to be constructed with an amount of Rs 500 crore at Janaki Nagar, 125 km away from the state capital, Near Kesharia in West Chamaparan District. The height of the proposed, 450 feet is going to be double of the height of world fame and UNESCO world heritage temple of Angkor Vat in Cambodia, constructed by a Hindu King called Suryavarman. The temple with a length of 2,800 feet and width of 1,400 feet at Janaki Nagar would come over an area of 200 acres. The construction is likely to commence in the next two months and the Majestic Temple may be opened to the devotees within 10 years. The temple would have a sitting capacity of 20,000 devotees in front of a raised ground around the main devotional place, a temple having life size statues of Lord Rama, Sita and their sons – Lov and Kush.
The temple would have a complex of altogether 18 well decorated temples, one of them a Shiva temple with the largest Shivling. The planned temple has a Gujarat connection too as the architect, Piyush Sompura is from Ahmadabad. Apart from this, Nitish tried to keep the height of the temple somewhat close to the under construction Statue of Unity being dedicated to Sardar Vallabhi Patel in Gujarat, a favourite project of Modi. Another incident of covering the Dome of the religiously famous Mahabodhi Temple with 300 Kg gold donated by the royal family of Thailand and others could not be termed as mere coincidence. It is understood that Nitish had certain reservations on giving permission to carry on the work, though he later conveyed his concurrence, keeping in view the political considerations and manifestation.
1,500 year old Temple situated 110 Km away from the state capital has become more attractive, beautiful and richer with a different look. Nitish government also facilitated the completion of the work by providing logistic support and security. The ASI could render its technical support only after Nitish gave a green signal. Nitish a shrewd politician knows how to kill the two birds with one stone and ensure political gains with his now open hidden saffron agenda in time to come.
The author is a communication consultant
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