Rohini Acharya Calls Nitish Kumar ‘BJP Puppet’ After His Rajya Sabha Bid

Political tensions in Bihar intensified after Rohini Acharya, former leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), launched a sharp criticism of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar following his announcement to contest the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

Acharya accused the Janata Dal (United) chief of repeatedly betraying his political allies and claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had forced him to take the decision to move to the Upper House of Parliament.

Her remarks come shortly after Nitish Kumar confirmed his intention to contest the Rajya Sabha elections, a move that could trigger a major leadership change in Bihar politics.

Rohini Acharya Accuses Nitish Kumar of Opportunism

In a statement shared on social media, Rohini Acharya described Nitish Kumar as a “pinnacle of opportunism” and alleged that his current political situation was the result of his own decisions.

She argued that leaders who frequently switch political alliances eventually face consequences for their actions. According to Acharya, Nitish Kumar’s repeated shifts between alliances have weakened his political credibility.

Acharya also claimed that the BJP has significant control over the current political situation and suggested that the decision to contest the Rajya Sabha election was not entirely voluntary.

She accused Nitish Kumar of becoming a political “puppet” of the BJP and said his decision reflected the consequences of abandoning his earlier allies.

Reference to Alliance Break With Opposition Bloc

Acharya linked the current development to Nitish Kumar’s decision in January 2024 to leave the opposition alliance and rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The move had dramatically reshaped Bihar’s political landscape at the time, ending his partnership with the Mahagathbandhan coalition and returning him to power alongside the BJP.

According to Acharya, that political shift eventually placed Nitish Kumar in a position where he had to follow the political direction set by the BJP leadership.

She further claimed that several leaders within the socialist political tradition had earlier warned Nitish Kumar about aligning with the BJP again.

Comparison With Other Political Developments

Acharya also referred to political developments in other states to strengthen her criticism. She mentioned the political crisis in Maharashtra involving Eknath Shinde, which led to the collapse of the previous government.

According to her, Nitish Kumar should have taken note of how political alliances can shift rapidly when larger parties gain influence over regional partners.

Her remarks suggest that the current developments in Bihar could signal a new phase in the state’s political dynamics.

Bihar Political Landscape May See Major Changes

The controversy comes at a time when Bihar’s political environment is already witnessing significant changes.

The BJP-led NDA alliance achieved a strong victory in the most recent Bihar Assembly elections, securing 202 seats out of 243. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) secured 85 seats.

Following the election results, Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister for a record tenth term, while senior BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.

With Nitish Kumar now preparing to move to the Rajya Sabha, speculation has increased about the possibility of a new Chief Minister emerging from the ruling alliance.

Nitish Kumar Defends His Decision

Earlier, Nitish Kumar addressed voters in an emotional message explaining his decision to contest the Rajya Sabha election.

The veteran leader thanked the people of Bihar for their continuous support over the past two decades and said their trust had allowed him to serve the state with dedication.

He also said that from the beginning of his parliamentary career, he had hoped to serve in both Houses of Parliament as well as the Bihar legislature.

According to Nitish Kumar, contesting the Rajya Sabha election fulfills a long-standing aspiration while allowing him to continue contributing to Bihar’s development.

Despite the political criticism surrounding his decision, the Chief Minister assured that his connection with the people of Bihar would remain unchanged and that he would continue working toward the vision of a developed state.