Patna: A new political poster released by the Janata Dal-United (JDU) has sparked discussions across Bihar’s political circles. The poster, prominently featuring Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has led to fresh speculation about the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) strategy for the 2025 assembly elections.
The poster, shared on JDU’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, carries the slogan: “Jab baat Bihar ki ho, naam sirf Nitish Kumar ka ho” (When it’s about Bihar, the name is only Nitish Kumar). This comes just days after another JDU poster declared “2025… Phir Se Nitish” (2025… Nitish Again). The coordinated messaging suggests that the party is positioning Nitish Kumar as the focal point of its campaign.
NDA Allies Back Nitish Kumar’s Leadership
Amid these developments, NDA allies, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), have repeatedly voiced their support for Nitish Kumar’s leadership. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary reaffirmed this stance recently, stating, “The NDA will contest the assembly polls in Bihar next year under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
A Strategic Shift
While the JDU had earlier focused solely on highlighting Nitish Kumar, today’s poster marks a departure by explicitly pairing him with PM Modi. This move is seen as an effort to consolidate the alliance’s appeal among voters ahead of the polls. Analysts believe this is a calculated attempt to balance JDU’s emphasis on Nitish Kumar with the BJP’s central leadership under PM Modi.
The Road to 2025
The Bihar Legislative Assembly elections are slated for October or November 2025, covering all 243 constituencies. In the previous 2020 elections, the NDA formed the state government with Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister. However, political alignments have since undergone significant shifts.
In August 2022, Nitish Kumar’s JDU broke ties with the NDA and allied with the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan. This partnership, however, dissolved in January 2024, with JDU rejoining the NDA to form the government once again.
As the election date approaches, today’s poster is a clear indication of the evolving dynamics within the NDA, setting the stage for an intriguing political battle in 2025.
