Amit Shah Confirms Nitish Kumar's Leadership in Bihar Election: NDA's Strategic Alliance Explained

The NDA is contesting the Bihar election under Nitish Kumar's leadership, as confirmed by Amit Shah

Patna:

BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reaffirmed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is contesting the Bihar assembly election with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at the helm.

Shah clarified that while they are campaigning under Kumar's leadership, the final decision on the chief ministerial position follows the party's constitutional procedures after election results are declared.

"Nitish Kumar is conducting five rallies daily," the Home Minister stated when questioned about concerns from both allies and opponents regarding Kumar's health, particularly following several unusual behaviors observed during public appearances.

"I have stated this 50 times already, we are contesting under Nitish Kumar's leadership. He is the chief minister. Regarding the chief ministerial candidate, there is a constitutional process within the party for that determination. It will be decided following the election," Shah explained during a discussion with NDTV Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal at the NDTV Bihar Power Play.

A notable incident occurred in early October when Kumar attracted attention by sitting with folded hands for nearly a minute while another leader presented program details during a virtual event with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier today, Shah criticized the Mahagathbandhan for "chaos and infighting" within the Opposition alliance. The Home Minister then compared the five parties comprising the NDA to the five Pandavas – a strategic analogy he referenced again during the NDTV Bihar Power Play.

The NDA alliance in Bihar consists of BJP, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

Bihar voters will cast their ballots in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.