Kamal Ghorui
Patna: Even as CM Nitish Kumar is yet to resign following his nomination to the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, a sharp war of words broke out between two key NDA allies — the BJP and its long-time partner JD(U) — on Friday over competing “models of governance”.The row began after BJP spokesperson Niraj Kumar posted a message on X claiming that the “Samrat Model” had forced criminals either to flee or surrender before the police due to encounters and bulldozer action.“This is ‘Samrat Model’. Quite like ‘Yogi Model’ (in Uttar Pradesh), in Bihar too, crime is being eradicated,” Kumar wrote on X. He added that although the opposition calls it jungle raj in Bihar, the reality is that criminals are fleeing into the jungle.Claiming that there is no place for criminals in Bihar, the BJP spokesperson said the state would become completely crime-free within the next three months. “Janata dekh rahi hai, sushasan wapas laut raha hai (Now, the people can see how the good governance is staging a comeback),” he wrote, triggering a political storm.The remarks drew a sharp reaction from JD(U), which insisted that only the “Nitish Model” has ensured good governance and development in the state.“There must not be any comment over the ‘Nitish Model’. It is due to this model that Bihar reached the great height of progress in the past 20 years,” rural development minister Shrawan Kumar told the media on Friday.The minister, considered close to the CM, said the “Nitish Model” had transformed the state. “Isase behtar kaun model ho sakta hai (Which could be a better model than this)?” he asked, adding that the same model would continue in the future.JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar also asserted that the “Nitish Model” would remain central to governance in Bihar. “Bihar me kewal aur kewal ‘Nitish Model’ chalega (Only Nitish Model will work in Bihar),” he said, adding that the BJP spokesperson’s comments appeared to relate only to the home department.Meanwhile, RLM chief and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha also backed the existing governance model. “Whatever model Nitish has implemented, the coming NDA govt too will promote it,” Kushwaha told reporters on Friday.The debate has intensified speculation over Nitish’s successor after his nomination to the Rajya Sabha earlier this week. While there is still no clarity on when he will take oath as a member of the Upper House, discussions over the next CM have already gathered momentum.
