Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth consecutive term on Monday.
Mumbai:
On Wednesday, the Shiv Sena mocked the BJP for the “sacrifice” of handing over the post of Chief Minister in Bihar to a third-place party, while denying the Sena the same after elections in Maharashtra last year.
An editorial in the Sena spokesman “Saamana” also wondered how long Bihar’s chief minister Nitish Kumar will stand his ground under the “burden of favor” and if he will take a new route.
In the recently concluded Bihar polls, the BJP won 74 seats, while its ally JD (U) won 43. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) emerged as the largest party with 75 seats in the 243-member assembly. After the assembly elections in Maharashtra last year, the BJP won 105 seats, while its then ally Shiv Sena won 56. However, the two parties separated due to differences over sharing the main ministerial position.
The Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray, later joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to form a government in Maharashtra. “The Shiv Sena was not awarded the post of Chief Minister in Maharashtra after the BJP won more seats. But he gave the crown of prime ministers to the party which was relegated to third position in Bihar. What a generosity! There will be ink shortage to describe this sacrifice in politics, “said the editorial ‘Saamana’.
He said BJP leaders such as Chandrakant Patil and Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari are of the view that the state is led by the head of the CPN, Sharad Pawar. “All these (leaders) should keep an eye on who exactly will lead Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar now,” he said.
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