‘Betrayal of Bihar’s mandate’: SS-UBT’s Priyanka Chaturvedi targets BJP over Nitish’s RS shift

Mumbai:With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar filing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha, sharp political reactions poured in on Thursday, with opposition leaders alleging a “betrayal of mandate”, while the BJP maintained it was his personal decision.

Speaking to IANS, Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of manipulating power structures.

“The BJP has done a lot of research on this — how to control power as soon as it comes into office, how to find loopholes in the Constitution, how to change power equations and put pressure on parties. If it is their ally, they have mastered the art of plotting how to finish them off — they have practically earned a PhD in it,” she alleged.

Chaturvedi further claimed that the party had adopted a new tactic where “no matter whom you vote for, ultimately the government ends up being formed by the BJP”, adding that people must become aware that the value of their vote is being undermined.

Referring to Nitish Kumar’s move to the Rajya Sabha, Chaturvedi said the mandate in Bihar was sought in his name. “Nitish ji had defeated anti-incumbency and became Chief Minister again because the people wanted him. Now to say that he wishes to go to the Rajya Sabha and to bring about a change, with the BJP likely to install its own leader there, amounts to a betrayal of the people’s mandate,” she said, alleging that the development appeared to have taken place under political pressure.

Echoing similar concerns, NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule said she was unsure about the exact developments but questioned the timing of the change. “When the Bihar elections were held, they (the NDA) fought by projecting Nitish Kumar as the leader. Why this change has come now, we will need to find out,” she said.

Responding to the criticism, BJP national Spokesperson R. P. Singh said that it was entirely Nitish Kumar’s own decision to move to the Rajya Sabha and that questioning it was inappropriate.

BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal also defended the move, describing Nitish Kumar as an experienced leader who had worked for Bihar’s development for a long time. “Now that he is coming to the Rajya Sabha, it is a matter of happiness for all of us,” he said.

The development has triggered a fresh political debate over leadership changes and the sanctity of electoral mandates in Bihar, even as the BJP dismissed allegations of pressure and political manoeuvring.

IANS