Sushil Modi on Bihar churn: door never permanently closed in politics

BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday said doors are never permanently closed to anyone in politics amid indications that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may revive ties with his former ally as his equations with INDIA bloc partners turn sour.

Sources in both the BJP and the JD(U) suggested such a possibility but it remained unclear if Kumar, the unquestioned leader of his party, has finalised a deal with the BJP top brass.

Speaking to reporters, Modi said, "As far as Kumar or the JD(U) are concerned, doors are never permanently closed in politics. Closed doors open when the time comes but whether they will open or not is for our central leadership to decide." After Kumar snapped his ties with the BJP in 2022, the party maintained that its doors were permanently closed to Bihar's longest-serving chief minister but its leaders have turned more conciliatory of late as the INDIA bloc lurches from one internal crisis to another.

Modi was deputy chief minister for a long time in governments headed by Kumar but was not repeated when the BJP-JD(U) alliance came to power after the 2020 assembly polls.

However, he has been part of the confabulations by the BJP top brass this time, in an indication that the seasoned politician may be trusted with a key responsibility if the two parties join hands again.

The Rajya Sabha MP enjoyed warm relations with Kumar when they were together but turned a staunch critic after the JD(U) leader dumped the BJP for a second time in 2022.

The BJP has been in touch with its Bihar allies, including Chirag Paswan and former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, over the developments in the state but they have not been given a clear idea about the possibility of Kumar's return to their fold, the sources said.

An ally said the BJP did not rule it out but has not been categorical either.

"It is clear to me that the ground is being prepared for Kumar's return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)," he said.

BJP sources said the JD(U) joining their alliance will ensure that the NDA will sweep the Lok Sabha polls.

It won 39 of Bihar's 40 seats in the 2019 elections.

However, a section of BJP leaders from Bihar are not keen on aligning with Kumar, claiming that his stock is down and his diminishing credibility will harm their party and leave the field open to the RJD-led opposition to cash in on the anti-incumbency against him.

A BJP leader noted how the RJD-led alliance had put up a stiff fight in the 2020 assembly polls.