Patna: The political discourse in Bihar took a dramatic turn with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s role in the 2025 Assembly elections.

In mid-December 2024, Shah, responding to a reporter’s query on whether Nitish would be the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) face for the polls, was non-committal.

“The party’s parliamentary board will decide at the appropriate time,” he said, avoiding a direct answer.

This was in stark contrast to the clear endorsements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah during the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign in Bihar, where they had unequivocally stated that Nitish would lead the NDA and remain Chief Minister.

Following Shah’s statement, Nitish skipped the high-profile “Bihar Business Connect 2024” event, citing health reasons. Discontent brewed within Janata Dal (United), with some leaders expressing concerns over the confusion Shah’s remarks could create ahead of the polls.

Speculation about Nitish’s political moves intensified, fueled by his history of switching alliances. However, BJP Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary quickly clarified, “Nitish Kumar will lead the NDA campaign in 2025,” a stance echoed by other state BJP leaders.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)........

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