From Maharashtra to Bihar, the political shenanigans get more intriguing. With Nitish Kumar dumping the BJP and taking oath as Chief Minister for the record eighth time and going back to his old ally RJD and having Tejasvi Yadav back as his Deputy CM may have the BJP worried.

Can it treat its partners shabbily, as its been accused of? The JD(U) is the latest to leave the NDA, as it claims it was worried about the ‘Ekanth Shinde model’ being replayed. So was it paying back the BJP in its own coin? Or was Nitish ensuring he and his party remain relevant? Besides, does he give hope for the elusive national Mahagathbandhan?

“I am not an aspirant for the PM’s post. The question is will the person who came in 2014 win in 2024,” hit back Nitish to the enemy camp now? He claimed he didn’t want to be CM after the 2020  polls, but was “put under pressure. You see what happened…How many seats did we win in 2015! And look at what we have been reduced to. Ask people in the party what they have been reduced to.” But his erstwhile deputy Sushil Modi says that wasn’t the reason, as Nitish sent feelers for being made Vice President, but the BJP didn’t bite. The public mandate has been betrayed, adds the BJP and the voters won’t forgive him.

Indeed, Nitish will need to strategise as he has always been doing, rather good at it. But whether his plans from Patna to Delhi, if any will materialise is a question that will hang toll 2024. Nitish has been known as an opportunist politician and RJD chief Lalu Yadav had called him ‘Paltu Ram’ (turncoat)– “Everybody knows that in your (Nitish’s) political career you took help of so many people and deserted many,” he said when he broke the alliance with his party.

The dependability factor goes against him. But with the Opposition divided miserably so far and unable to come together against Modi’s BJP, Nitish’s action may provide an impetus to regional parties to start thinking in the long term.

However, a lot depends on how the State Mahagathbandhan works out. Will Nitish and Tejaswi team hold good this time? Or will Nitish penchant for the kursi  see another derail. Prime Ministerial ambitions are too far a cry.