Many would think this aerial meeting between frienmies Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav is coincidental, many would disagree. Those siding with the coincidence discourse would say that the chacha-bhateja rendezvous was because most politicians from Bihar hop onto the 1 hour 45-minute morning flight to Delhi in case they have meetings in the national capital.
Both Tejashwi and Nitish had hectic parleys planned.
But those in disagreement would claim that the two leaders would have talked beyond the 10-second video and a picture that was released. They would also question why these multimedia pieces were released in the first case, especially when Nitish’s party had made it clear that switching sides was not a possibility.
For a precise answer, a rewind and search button on our mobile phones would be handy. Listen to RJD leader, Tejashwi.
This was Nitish’s former deputy in the heat of Lok Sabha election campaign. In politics, civility always means that the door is ajar. That INDIA bloc door is ajar could be read from this remark.
Recall, Nitish was instrumental in the formation of INDIA bloc, which is a loose formation of political groups opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has emerged as a formidable opponent. But the switch to NDA at the beginning of this year saw him holding kamal as he stood atop a truck with PM Modi during a roadshow in Patna.
And then there was this public pledge
Rewind to August 9, 2022. This was another public pledge that the 9-time Bihar chief minister had made.
The flip flops, that have earned Nitish the moniker Paltu Kumar essentially is the proverbial politicians make strange bedfellows, a fact that the Congress understands when it comes to dealing with Janata Dal United chief.
A Sonia Gandhi, joining the Congress press meet after the election result, and this smile on her face could be read as a plan that is in process. Rewind 20 years back, the Italian-born Indian bahun had been instrumental in taking United Progressive Alliance to power despite the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP emerging as the single largest party.
Let’s get back to the plane video and now ask, was the chacha-bhatija cordiality a signal for Prime Minister Modi?