Bihar polls: 'Brand Tejashwi' vs NDA

Tejashwi Yadav has emerged as the creator of the brand equation in Bihar politics. At a time when the battle of ballots is picking up momentum, personalised attacks are natural. However, there is a catch here. In 2012, the way opposition leaders had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi had only helped build his image. Similarly, the NDA is building the Tejashwi brand in Bihar politics by accepting the fact that the fight in the state is Tejashwi versus others.

Patna: RJD leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav have become the centre stage of Bihar politics. He is all-pervasive. Nothing is complete in Bihar politics without him.

He has become the pivot of Bihar politics today. Every story, starting from anywhere ends with him. He occupies critical space in every political discourse, which only shows his growing relevance in the hurly-burly of Bihar politics. This has made one thing very clear that in Bihar politics, no one can think of having his say without the help of Tejashwi Yadav. In the ensuing Bihar polls, he is very aggressive and to the point. He has acquired the image in Bihar what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has at the national level, which is not a mean achievement at all. It is Tejashwi versus others in Bihar today.

In the changing course of Bihar politics, there is a possibility where discussion may deviate from the core issue, but there is no doubt about the fact that today’s Bihar politics is reminiscent of what Bihar witnessed in 2005. There can be a difference of opinion over the politics of JP and his movement, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia’s politics, socialism and politics of theoretical socialism, but the politics of discrimination in all hues has continued to be a matter of discussion in Bihar. The politics of development for which Nitish Kumar gave the slogan in 2005, its root can be traced from 1986 battle.

Read: Tejashwi Yadav is ready to give 2000 buses to Bihar govt: RJD spokesperson

In 2005, Nitish Kumar overthrew Lalu Prasad Yadav’s government by harking on the Jungle Raj versus good governance. In 2005, the BJP and JDU alliance won the poll. The momentum remained intact in 2010 Assembly polls when the opposition was almost wiped out.

For the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, political winds had started flowing in Bihar since 2012. During the BJP’s national executive meeting in Rajgir, Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Choubey, currently two ministers at the Centre, raised the slogan of ‘NaMo, NaMo’ at the gate of Bihar legislative assembly. ‘Bihar Zindabad' and ‘Narendra Modi Zindabad’ slogans were made during the winter session of the Assembly. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had even conveyed his displeasure over this despite the fact that the BJP was a part of the government even at that point of time.

The manner in which scandals and scams took place during the UPA-II government at the Centre, the people were looking for a whiff of fresh political air. Every talk about checking scams used to be a big hit among the people. So, when Prime Minister Modi used to talk about giving better governance, people were left mesmerised. It used to create a kind of wave among the people. The political stature of Tejashwi Yadav may not be like that of Narendra Modi, but one thing is clear that when Modi used to say something in 2012, the entire UPA government used to attack Modi. Except then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, there was hardly any leader who would not give different kinds of statements about Narendra Modi throughout the day. There was also a lot of political rhetoric about his political journey including his role during Godhra riots and his relationship with his wife.

In 2020, Tejashwi Yadav is the target of all big leaders in Bihar elections. If he says anything, every leader is after him. Things have moved beyond the so-called scams which took place during the tenure of Lalu Prasad Yadav or the separation between his brother and wife. At a rally in Muzaffarpur on October 22, Nitish Kumar even said that he knew about what Tejashwi Yadav used to do in Delhi, “but I will not hit his political image by saying all this.”

In politics, people talk about ethics, the dignity of words and social relations while making statements, but most politicians do not feel like responding to real issues and questions. The main question is: No one from the BJP or the NDA is answering the questions that Tejashwi Yadav has raised regarding Bihar in the run-up to the 2020 assembly polls. One thing is clear from the leaders of India who are coming to take on Tejashwi that the politics of Tejashwi Yadav is going to stay for long. Tejashwi Yadav’s promise to give employment to 10 lakh people in Bihar has unnerved all top leaders like Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman or IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of State for Home Nityananda Rai or Union Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey, Union Minister RK Singh and Giriraj Singh, who advise Tejashwi too look inside but none of them, comments on the need to give jobs to the youths of Bihar, a promise which has been made by Bihar’s Leader of Opposition.

The matter of fact is that Tejashwi Yadav has threatened politically all big shots of Bihar. He has rightly understood how to reorient himself and his strategy to take on the rivals with their own arms and ammunition. The job promise is not the only weapon he has used against them. His repeated requests to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to give details of development works in Bihar done in the past 15 years have also seemingly hit the target.

Apart from Tejashwi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is also campaigning for the candidates of Grand Alliance in the state Assembly polls. Only a few days are left in the first phase of Bihar assembly polling. Tejashwi has become an issue for the ruling parties and their leaders, and not their development works. One statement of RJD’s star leader has all of them on their toes and there is a rain of statements and attacks from them. Whether Prime Minister Modi, Chief Minister Kumar or any other leader, Tejashwi is standing against them so firmly.

Needless to say, Tejashwi Yadav has become the creator of the brand equation in Bihar’s 2020 battle of ballots. When politics has entered deep into people’s minds, personal attacks are justified and inevitable as well. However, the writings on the wall should not be misread. In 2012, then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh used to be the target of his every act of omission and commission under the leadership of Narendra Modi, then Gujarat Chief Minister. It was the branding of Modi and nothing else. In 2020, Tejashwi Yadav is passing through an identical political experience, which means that something interesting will happen. Though the truth will be known on November 10, one thing is clear that the way Tejashwi is doing politics and the way his rivals are fighting him, some turning point in Bihar politics cannot be ruled out.