Nitish Kumar’s potential Lok Sabha run in UP sparks political firestorm

As rumors swirl about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s potential run for Lok Sabha from neighboring BJP-governed Uttar Pradesh (UP), political temperatures are rising in Bihar, leading to a tug-of-war between the ruling Mahagathbandhan and the opposition BJP.
The speculations gained momentum when Shravan Kumar, a Bihar minister and JD(U)’s in-charge for UP, acknowledged demands for Kumar’s candidacy from the neighboring state. He stated, “During my recent UP visit, I got the sense that there are many seats, including Fatehpur and Pratapgarh, where our party wants the CM to fight.”
These remarks were echoed by Bijendra Yadav, the senior-most cabinet member and former JD(U) president, who noted that several state units want Kumar to contest from their regions, a decision ultimately resting with the leader himself.
This new round of speculation follows Kumar’s exit from NDA last year, with strong indications of his potential run from Phulpur, a historically significant seat for being Jawaharlal Nehru’s constituency. The city, part of Prayagraj, formerly Allahabad, harbors a large population of the Kurmi caste, the same as Kumar’s, and is a short distance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, Varanasi.
Despite Phulpur’s historical ties to Nehru, the Congress party has struggled to maintain its grip on the seat, which last saw a victory in 1984.
JD(U)’s allies in Bihar seem unperturbed by Kumar’s potential UP run. Congress legislature party leader Shakil Ahmed Khan stated, “When a person from Gujarat can contest and win from Varanasi, then we are so close to Uttar Pradesh”.
Even RJD spokesman Shakti Yadav sees Kumar’s candidacy as a source of pride, suggesting that the CM’s popularity transcends Bihar’s boundaries.
While Kumar has denied harboring prime ministerial ambitions, his potential move to a “national role” has spurred excitement not only within JD(U) but also RJD, seeing it as a stepping stone for deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav.
However, this speculation has irked the BJP, especially considering UP’s significance in Lok Sabha and its current governance under the party’s rising star, Yogi Adityanath.
BJP leaders, Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, accused Kumar of losing popularity in Bihar and warned of possible humiliation should he transition to UP, also criticizing JD(U) for resorting to “caste arithmetic” in a state where it has limited influence.
Thus, Kumar’s speculated shift to contest the Lok Sabha polls from UP has ignited political tensions in Bihar, potentially altering the political landscape of both states.