Nitish-Modi Relationship: When Hostility Preceded the Bonhomie

The new friends on the block also have a long-winding history.

Mahagathbandhan might have broken, but Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi’s bandhan seems to have transformed tremendously. 

(Photo: The Quint)

It did not go unnoticed that Narendra Modi was one of the first to welcome Nitish Kumar’s resignation as the Bihar Chief Minister, and indirectly, the breakaway from the Grand Alliance on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister tweeted that he welcomes Kumar’s decision along with 25 crore people – and that he supports his honesty. He asserted that the need of the hour was to rise above “political differences” and fight against corruption.

Kumar was quick to return the favour. He thanked the prime minister on Twitter from the “bottom of his heart”.

However, all was not this rosy between Modi and Kumar until a few months ago. So much so that the leaders even refused to share the stage at a point due to “political differences”.

The Mahagathbandhan might have broken, but Kumar and Modi’s bandhan seems to have transformed tremendously. The new friends on the block have a long, interesting history.

Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi have an interesting history. (Photo: PTI)

June 2010 – When Nitish Called Off a Lunch Date

All was well between Kumar and Modi till 2010. They were at this point chief ministers of Bihar and Gujarat, respectively.

The flooding of the Kosi embankment, described as one of the worst natural disasters in Bihar’s history, haunted the state government in 2008. As the Gujarat chief minister, Modi reached out to Kumar’s government and presented a cheque of Rs 5 crore for flood relief.

However, this relief package came as a prominent bumper in their relationship. It led to the last-minute cancellation of a luncheon that Kumar was supposed to host for the entire top brass of the BJP.

All was well between Modi and Kumar till 2010. (Photo Courtesy: Press Information Bureau)

The BJP organised the party’s National Executive meet in Patna in 2010. During the meet, posters were put across the city about how Modi – and Gujarat – “helped” Bihar during the floods.

Kumar – to honour JD(U)’s then 14-year-old alliance with the BJP – had invited the party’s top leaders for a luncheon.

Sankarshan Thakur, detailing the incident, wrote that a visibly upset Kumar thought the posters were an “insult to the people of Bihar”. He not only called off the lunch, but also returned the cheque to the Gujarat government.

Addressing a party rally at Gandhi Maidan the next afternoon, Modi took a dig at Bihar’s ‘condition’ and indirectly at Kumar.

You folks in Bihar are just about emerging from the ditch you have been in. Come to Gujarat and see what a prosperous place we have created there.

Narendra Modi

June 2013 – Nitish Dumps 17-Year-Old Alliance with NDA, Courtesy Modi

Nitish’s prime ministerial ambition is perhaps the worst kept political secret. When Narendra Modi’s name was often used in the context of the NDA’s PM candidate for the 2014 elections, an angry Kumar called off his 17-year-old relationship with the alliance on 16 June.

He pulled out of the alliance, but found unlikely support from the Congress party in the trust vote that allowed him to retain the government.

We cannot compromise with our basic principles. We are not worried about the consequences. As long as the alliance was Bihar-centric, there was no problem. But we had no alternative now. We are not responsible. We were forced to take this decision.

Nitish Kumar

Tracing the Nitish Kumar-Narendra Modi relationship history. (Photo Courtesy: PMO India)

18 May 2014 – Of Humiliating Defeats, Stupendous Wins

Narendra Modi went on to become the prime minister regardless. And Nitish Kumar was decimated on home ground in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The JD(U) won only 2 of the 40 seats in the Lower House. Nitish Kumar took “responsibility” for the loss and resigned as chief minister, placing his man Jitan Ram Manjhi in charge of the government.

Despite sweeping Bihar in the Lok Sabha election, the BJP was drubbed in the state Assembly elections held in October 2015. But it would not have been possible without the support of the RJD and the Congress – or the Mahagatbandhan was it was called.

23 August 2016 – An Opportunity for a Fresh Start

Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi.(Photo Courtesy: Two Circles)

Modi and Kumar meet under completely different circumstances now. A reeling Koshi then, a bulging Ganga now.

Kumar met Modi and sought a special relief package for Bihar, which was suffering from yet another spate of floods.

Not just that, Kumar also extended an olive branch by endorsing Modi’s ambitious Namami Gange programme.

Modi, on his part, sang praises of Kumar. He said no one understood the importance of the Ganga project like someone (Nitish here) who grew up on the banks of the river.

29 September 2016 – Relationship Status: New Friends

Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar sharing a stage.(Photo: PTI)

As the news of India’s surgical strike operation against Pakistan broke, Opposition parties lined up to debate if the government had indeed done the right thing.

A conspicuous voice from the Opposition fold was, however, absent.

New friend Kumar stood by the Modi government’s decision and lauded the surgical strike, irrespective of the magnum-opus alliance stating that they were sceptical about such strikes.

9 November 2016 – A Friend Indeed

When the entire Opposition called out the BJP government for the “disastrous” demonetisation move, Kumar jumped to Modi’s support and hailed the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.

He called Modi government’s move a “direct” one but later called it out for improper implementation of the scheme.

5 January 2017 – Bonhomie Becomes Public

Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar sharing a stage at the Prakash Parv.(Photo Courtesy: YouTube screengrab)

The 350th Prakash Parv (birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh) was celebrated at the Patna Sahib gurudwara. The highlight of the event was the warm chemistry seen between Modi and Kumar.

Not only were they seated on the stage together, with RJD chief Lalu Prasad not occupying a seat on stage, they were also seen laughing and taking a stroll together.

May 2017 – Ditching Old Friends For New

Congress president Sonia Gandhi organised a luncheon with a premise to decide on a common Opposition candidate for the Presidential polls on 26 May.

With all top leaders present during the meeting, Kumar's absence was prominent. However, the JDU leader had sent Sharad Yadav as his party's representative.

Just a day after he gave the Opposition lunch a miss, Kumar attended a lunch hosted Narendra Modi in honour of the visiting Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. He also held a one-on-one meeting with the PM later.

It was an invitation to a chief minister, not to the president of the JD(U). That (Opposition lunch) was to the president of the party. Making a comparison between the two is misinterpretation.

Nitish Kumar to <i><a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/nitish-kumar-attends-pm-modis-lunch-says-its-about-bihar-4677105/">Indian Express</a></i>

21 June 2017 – Nitish’s Sway

Narendra Modi with President Ram Nath Kovind and Nitish Kumar.(Photo: PTI)

Breaking away from the Mahagatbandhan’s stand, Kumar announced that JD(U) will support NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind for President.

Following this, reports started emerging that there might be fissures in the Mahagathbandhan.

The reports were confirmed on 26 July when Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation as chief minister of Bihar. Within 15 hours, he was back at the helm of affairs, with the BJP in tow. 

The natural political enemies have once again found common ground. For Nitish, it’s about consolidating his gains and retaining the chief minister’s post. For Modi, it’s about expanding the BJP’s footprint in Bihar. The question is when will the next churn present itself?

(With inputs from The Indian Express, The Times of India)