- 6 hours ago
Nitish Kumar has resigned as Bihar Chief Minister and submitted his resignation to the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Patna.
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00:00And as Bihar is set to step into a new era of political leadership, my colleague Maria Shaquille joining us
00:07from Patna. Over to you, Maria Shaquille.
00:14Hello everyone, welcome to this special broadcast. I'm coming to you live from outside the Vidhan Sabha in Patna.
00:21This is where the show of strength will be displayed. This is where the NDA legislature party meeting will be
00:28happening in some time from now.
00:30The entire action shifts here. The epicenter of power in Patna.
00:36The big breaking news that is coming in now is that there will be two deputy chief ministers from the
00:43JDU quota,
00:44even as the BJP gets the chief minister's chair in the new government, which will be sown in tomorrow morning.
00:50We'll know the chief minister's name, which is likely to be Samrath Chaudhary in some time from now.
00:56What we can also tell our viewers is that this is going to be a government in continuity,
01:00without any much fanfare that is usually associated with any swearing-in of the government.
01:06It will not be taking place in Patna's Gandhi Meidan or any such big venue.
01:10It will be happening inside the Lok Bhavan or the Raj Bhavan in Patna, which is roughly around a kilometre
01:16from where I am.
01:17And what we can also tell our viewers now is that sources are telling us that Nishant Kumar,
01:23who is the son of the chief minister, Nitesh Kumar, is unlikely to be sown in.
01:28He is unlikely to be a part of this new government of the BJP.
01:33At the moment, he will be concentrating largely on the JDU side, which is the party side,
01:40not as much as the government side.
01:42Remember, Nitesh Kumar's brand of politics has largely been anti-dynastic.
01:48The questions did arise that why is Nitesh Kumar pushing for his son as a potential deputy chief minister.
01:55What sources are telling us is that Nishant Kumar is unlikely to be sown in as one of the ministers
02:02tomorrow.
02:02What we can also tell our viewers now is that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah are unlikely
02:08to come in for this wedding in,
02:10which is going to take place tomorrow.
02:12This is not going to be a high-profile event.
02:14It will be a low-key event, an event which will just usher in change in Bihar without much noise.
02:20This is an end of era in Bihar politics.
02:23One of the most defining chapters in Bihar politics comes to an end with Nitesh Kumar resigning as the chief
02:28minister of Bihar
02:30and handing over the baton to a chief minister from the BJP, the alliance partner,
02:35with which Nitesh governed most part of the state.
02:40Rohit Singh is joining us live.
02:42Rohit, so what should we be expecting in the next few hours?
02:50Well, Maria, in the couple of hours, lots of hectic development taking place.
02:55And as I speak, at this point of time, I'm standing just outside one Anemag.
02:59That's the official residence of Bihar chief minister.
03:02And just 100 metres away, behind me is the Lok Bhavan.
03:07That's the Raj Bhavan, you can say.
03:08And 3 o'clock is when what we are learning is that Nitesh Kumar will be coming out from his
03:14official residence.
03:15And will be going to Lok Bhavan to tender his resignation as the Bihar chief minister for the last time.
03:22Remember, Nitesh Kumar holds the unique distinction and a record of sort of having taken oath as the chief minister
03:30of Bihar
03:30for a record 10 times and also resigning as the chief minister already for five times.
03:38And today, in a short while from now, when he will be tendering his resignation, this will be the sixth
03:43time that he will be resigning as the chief minister of the state.
03:47And as I speak right now, Samrat Chaudhary, deputy chief minister and BJP state president Sanjay Saraugi have just arrived
03:55at his CM residence
03:56and are right now in a meeting with Nitesh Kumar.
03:59And in a short while from now, all these leaders, Nitesh Kumar flanked by Samrat Chaudhary and Sanjay Saraugi will
04:06be going to Lok Bhavan,
04:08where Nitesh Kumar will be tendering his resignation.
04:11And then at 4.30 is the crucial meeting of the NDA where you are at this point of time
04:16at the Central Hall in Bihar with Han Sabha.
04:18And in all certainty, Samrat Chaudhary will be elected as the leader of the NDA legislative party.
04:25And following that, at around 5.30, what we are learning, that Samrat Chaudhary will be coming to Lok Bhavan
04:31again to stake claim to form the government.
04:34So that is what is scheduled in the next couple of hours in Patna.
04:38And all eyes right now on that crucial resignation that Nitesh Kumar will be submitting in a short while from
04:46now.
04:47And Nitesh Kumar is about to come out of one anemag in a few minutes from now.
04:52Back to you.
04:53A word on the last cabinet which was chaired by Nitesh Kumar.
04:59We are told that Nitesh Kumar did say that he will continue to be the mentor of this government
05:06because certainly he leaves behind huge shoes that has to be filled in now by a successor from the BJP.
05:17Well, see, as you were also mentioning that there is going to be no fanfare, no celebration
05:22when Samrat Chaudhary in all likelihood will be taking oath as the chief minister of Bihar tomorrow
05:28and the first chief minister from the BJP.
05:30Because reason being why, because still in Bihar, the BJP does not have number on its own to form the
05:38government.
05:38It has to rely on Janta Dal United also to ensure that the government continues as it is going on
05:46at this point of time.
05:47Without the Janta Dal United, the BJP and other alliance partners,
05:51that's the Chirag Paswan's party and Upender Kushwaha and Jitana Maji,
05:54they are still stacked at 116, which is still six short of that magic number of 122.
06:01So there is reliance upon Nitish Kumar and the BJP does not want to give any kind of indication here
06:08when the swearing-in ceremony takes place that finally they have been successful
06:13in dislodging Nitish Kumar as the chief minister and making their own leader,
06:19that's the BJP leader as the chief minister.
06:21Because the BJP knows that the cadre of Nitish Kumar, the vote tank of Nitish Kumar right now in Bihar
06:28is not very happy with the development that is taking place and that Nitish Kumar is quitting as the chief
06:34minister.
06:34So the BJP is going to take no chances and will indulge in no kind of celebration
06:40that can send a negative message to the cadre, to the vote bank of Nitish Kumar
06:44that it's the BJP who was behind this entire exercise of dislodging Nitish Kumar as the chief minister
06:51and having its own man at the helm of affairs.
06:54So it's going to be a low-key affair and obviously, as I was mentioning earlier also,
07:00it's only going to be a change of leadership in Bihar.
07:03It's not going to be a systemic change in the state.
07:10Okay, so what changes in Bihar with a BJP chief minister?
07:15We have Manisha Priyam joining us on this broadcast.
07:18A Bihar Ki Beti, someone who understands Bihar better than most.
07:21We have Amitabh Tiwari joining us of Voter Vibes.
07:25Also, Sajjan Kumar.
07:26Manisha Priyam, I want to begin with you.
07:29As a proud Bihari yourself, what does today mean for you,
07:32particularly given the fact that for most of us, Nitish Kumar also meant Bihari Asmita,
07:40a sense of pride that Nitish gave to Biharis outside Bihar and even within Bihar?
07:51Certainly, it's sunset for a long innings of socialist politics, a non-Congress politics.
07:58Remember, after the 1990s, Bihar has not had even one chief minister from the Congress party
08:04or from the Agdi Jatiyan.
08:07And between Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav's party and Mr. Nitish Kumar,
08:11brothers who parted ways early on,
08:14but continued to share the legacy combined of Jai Prakash and Karpuri.
08:19This has also been a historic innings.
08:21The proud Bihari, the average Bihari and the Bihar ki beti all in one have lived with ideology in our
08:29eyes.
08:29We may not have had much material wealth.
08:32We may not be very rich as far as the states in India go.
08:39We must be amongst its poorest.
08:41But we've held our land and our ideology with pride.
08:45And certainly, Nitish Kumar held on to that ideology till the very end.
08:50A man with a Spartan lifestyle, the development of the state was at the core of his heart.
08:55And certainly, the whole acronym BIMARU, where Bihar was looked at as a developmentally sick state.
09:03Now, that acronym was transformed by him.
09:05And it became the place where public investments could safely be invested in a pro-poor sort of way,
09:13riding on a Karpuri ideology.
09:16Nitish gave to Bihar a developmental framework where public investments could go down to the bottom of the pile.
09:23The Pajphorna communities, the caste-based ideology, all on its side.
09:27And I think that's what's come to an end.
09:30Big boots, heavy shoes, but also a moment of thinking and reflecting back on a long era of solid governance
09:37and taking the legacy of Jai Prakash and Karpuri both together.
09:42Definitely a moment of history.
09:47Absolutely.
09:48A defining chapter coming to an end.
09:50And a new chapter beginning in Bihar politics with Samrat Chaudhuri likely to be the chief minister
09:56who will be sown in tomorrow.
09:58So, even as we speak, Nitish Kumar is leaving one Arne Marg, which is the chief minister's residence,
10:04for the last time, where he will be going to the governor's house, the Lok Bhavan in Patna,
10:10to meet the new governor, who is Lieutenant General Sayyadatta Hasnan, to tender his resignation.
10:18Thereafter, there will be the BJP legislature party meeting at the BJP office,
10:23followed by the NDA legislature party meeting at the Central Hall of the Patna Vidhan Sabha,
10:30where I am.
10:32Amitabh Tiwari, what does today mean for you?
10:36It is the end of Nitish Kumar's era in Bihar.
10:40Clearly, it is the end of an era.
10:43And Nitish Kumar is credited with bringing Bihar out of the Bimaru tag.
10:48Clearly, a model wherein infrastructure development took place, along with social justice.
10:56So, welfare schemes which reach the bottom of the pyramid.
10:59Under his term, Bihar has been, for a few years, one of the fastest growing states.
11:04And the condition of Bihar, economic condition, has certainly increased.
11:11Also, he is also responsible for, you can say, bringing an end to the Jungle Raj, Lalu Jungle Raj of
11:1715 years.
11:19What once started in 2005, perhaps, as a moment where BJP had the higher number of seats,
11:27but made Nitish the Chief Minister, it's sort of a homecoming for the BJP.
11:32After 20 years, it's able to establish its own Chief Minister.
11:36Politically, Nitish Kumar reduced RJD to 20-odd seats in 2010.
11:44And after a 15-year cycle, when he is leaving this chair,
11:48RJD is again back to the 20s.
11:51Which shows that there is, perhaps, limited competition,
11:56despite higher vote share of the RJD comparatively.
11:59Limited political competition.
12:01And these two parties have a very unique social base,
12:05wherein they complement each other.
12:07Now, we'll have to see who becomes the CM.
12:10What is the model of governance?
12:11Clearly, the model of governance going forward will have a Nitish Chhap on it.
12:15And as he has himself said, that he will be mentor of this new government.
12:20So, we hope that the good work done by Nitish is continued.
12:24And clearly, a man who has brought Bihar to the map of economic development and social justice.
12:36Social justice, economic development.
12:38I think today is the day to talk about multiple works that has been done by Nitish Kumar for Bihar.
12:45And how he changed the chemistry, the arithmetic, and the very definition of Bihar in multiple ways.
12:53Before I bring in Sajjan, I want to play this interview which I did with JDU working president, Sanjay Jha.
13:00I had asked him specifically as to what will be Nitish Kumar's role,
13:03as he gives up the chief minister's chair and moves and, you know, will be now the member of parliament
13:10of the Rajya Sabha.
13:11What will be his role within the JDU?
13:13What does it mean for the JDU?
13:15What next for Nitish Kumar's son?
13:18Is he likely to join the new council of ministers?
13:21Because, remember, there has been a lot of speculation whether Nishant Kumar,
13:24who is the son of Nitish Kumar, could join the cabinet.
13:28Well, the indications are that he is unlikely to take oath tomorrow.
13:32Listen in to that exclusive conversation with Sanjay Jha, working president of the JDU.
13:42You have seen Nitish Kumar since decades, I would say.
13:46Very, very closely among the closest people of Nitish Kumar.
13:50What does it mean to you personally?
13:52This day when Nitish Kumar has resigned.
13:55It's emotional for everyone.
14:01Satya, ana, nahi, ana is one thing.
14:05Hum, loogos ke liye, hum, some ke liye, is liye bhoot jyaadha emotional hai.
14:09There will be no other Nitish Kumar.
14:11Bihar mein, dousra to nahi hooga.
14:14Nau tha, nau hai, anau hooga.
14:17Dousra nitish Kumar nahi ho sakta hai.
14:18Or, puray Bihar, jab Bihar kahta ho, thay desh ke liye bhi, ko gar Bihar garbar tha, thay desh par
14:25bhi impact tha.
14:26Puray Bihar ke loogos ke, woh pride raha ghe.
14:29History will remember him, his era of 20, 21 years of hijra, at the golden period of Bihar.
14:35It's end of an era, in the real sense, in Bihar politics.
14:40What does it mean for your party?
14:42No, party ke liye, to, uh, jaroor, uh, party, kya, man, pure, joh, 14 karoore Bihari hai, sab ke liye,
14:50uh, joh, ah, mukhvantri ji ka, ah, joh, pura tenure raha hai, and whoever it is, people who are here
14:59in Bihar, Bihari who are outside Bihar, sab ke liye, a mustal moment hai, no doubt about it.
15:07Mukhvantri, mukhvantri, aate hai, jate hai, sata aati hai, jate hai, lakin one person, joh, Bihar ke pride ko restore
15:16kia, even his opponent will say, in our life,
15:21ghar, ghar, ghar, Bihar, Bihari ka halane mein hum loge ko fakhra ijjat aaya, wohh Nitish Kumbhaar ne harik Bihari
15:28ko liya, usse pahle Bihar ki identity bhi, hum loge ko lagta tha, ki Bihari bole mein sarma lagta tha,
15:34yeh sab se bera deen raha, ki apna self-respect, atma samman, he has destroyed every Bihari's self-respect.
15:43Undoubtedly, Sanjay ji, I would agree with you, that sense of Bihari pride or smita, something that Nitish Kumar gave
15:49to everyone, including me, as a Bihari,
15:51but for your party, this is a moment of transition, a huge transition for Nitish Kumar to move to the
15:56Rajya Sabha,
15:57and then the party has to maintain itself, maintain the momentum, and ensure that its cadre remains united,
16:05and at the same time motivated. How difficult it's going to be?
16:09You see, he's still active. He had just become the national president of the party.
16:14He's in the Raj Sabha. He'll be there in Raj Sabha when sesan will be on.
16:18The rest of the time, he'll be in Bihar only. So he'll be very active as far as our party
16:24is concerned.
16:25As far as government is concerned in Bihar, so he'll have definitely, 2025, we have gone in election in Nitish
16:35Kumar as the face of this entire alliance.
16:38People have voted, NDA, and he was the face.
16:42So from here till 2030, he'll have a...
16:49He'll have a...
16:59So this is his government only.
17:01The government is his only.
17:04Absolutely continuity.
17:06And he will be guiding the government also.
17:11It's end of an era in the real sense in Bihar politics.
17:15What does it mean for your party?
17:17No, for the party, I mean the whole 14 crore of Bihar.
17:24For everyone, the whole tenure of Bihar.
17:32And whoever it is, people who are here in Bihar,
17:35the Bihar who are outside Bihar,
17:37for everyone, this is a mustal movement.
17:39No doubt about it.
17:42The Bihar comes and goes,
17:44it's a mustal movement.
17:51So Nitish Kumar has now reached the Lok Bhavan,
17:54where he will tender his resignation.
17:56And that is the end of Nitish Kumar era in Bihar.
18:01In 21 years, remember Nitish Kumar was sown in 10 times.
18:05And he resigned six times.
18:08The popular joke in Bihar circles was that whichever the alliance partner,
18:13Nitish would always be the chief minister.
18:16So while he navigated his alliance partners,
18:19twice he formed the government with the RJD,
18:23several times with the BJP.
18:24Nitish continued as the chief minister of Bihar.
18:28But today, that era is coming to an end.
18:31Nitish Kumar has entered the Lok Bhavan,
18:33where he will meet Lieutenant General Atta Hasnan,
18:36who is the governor of Bihar,
18:38to tender his resignation for the final time.
18:42I mean, this is a historic movement that we are witnessing,
18:46ladies and gentlemen.
18:47Nitish Kumar, one of the tallest leaders,
18:49one of the tallest socialist leaders of Bihar politics,
18:53has resigned now as the chief minister of Bihar.
18:56Sajjan, what a day.
18:59I mean, it's going to be very difficult for people of Bihar
19:03to forget Nitish Kumar.
19:04There will be nobody like Nitish Kumar, certainly.
19:07Yes, precisely.
19:09And precisely an overwhelming moment.
19:12Though people intuitively knew in the assembly election in 2025
19:18that perhaps this is going to be his last election,
19:22and therefore that overwhelming sense of gratitude
19:25was also reflected something that you,
19:28I, all of us witnessed on the ground in their voting
19:32and the nature of the mandate.
19:34Nevertheless, the fact that finally he is retiring
19:37as the chief minister, as the head of Bihar government,
19:41that certainly is an overwhelming moment.
19:44But also what is, you know, very appreciable
19:48is the fact that you see the smoothness of the transition,
19:52the political leadership,
19:53and era of Nitish Kumar is coming to an end.
19:57But the transition is something that he personally is witnessing
20:00and blessing.
20:01Compare the fact, not to brag about this smoothness,
20:05but to the similar state of transition debate
20:09that is happening in many of the southern states
20:11or something that happened in Maharashtra in 2019.
20:15And you compare the moment in Bihar.
20:17Karnataka.
20:18Karnataka, 2019, Maharashtra.
20:21So it's not party specific.
20:22It's also shows the enduring impact,
20:25positive impact of Nitish's legacy.
20:27That when he is stepping down,
20:29he is doing in a very smooth and harmonious manner.
20:32And this fraternity, social harmony is something that Nitish Kumar is extremely known for.
20:39He signified that.
20:40And that is why one thing that Bihar will miss immensely is the intense relatability.
20:47His tenure is known for including every section of Bihar.
20:52No caste, no community felt alienated, right?
20:55Into a very divisive, acrimonious political landscape that Bihar witnessed
21:00before that since 1980s onward.
21:02This is one.
21:03Two, you also see that Nitish Kumar...
21:07The infusive governance that Nitish Kumar gave in.
21:09Sajjan, in fact, what we can tell our viewers now is that
21:12Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Bihar chief minister.
21:16That resignation has happened.
21:17We were waiting for this moment.
21:19So that end of an era moment has happened.
21:21Nitish Kumar has resigned as the chief minister.
21:24He has tendered his resignation to the governor of Bihar,
21:26Lieutenant General Atta Hasnain.
21:28This exercise is happening even as we speak at the Lok Bhavan in Patna.
21:33That's where Rohit is.
21:34And Nitish Kumar is accompanied by his deputy chief minister,
21:38who is likely to be his successor,
21:40that is Samrat Chaudhary,
21:42who is accompanying Nitish when he is meeting the governor.
21:45So enough optics through the day, Rohit,
21:47who the successor of Nitish will be.
21:55A short while back, Nitish Kumar entered the Lok Bhavan.
22:00And now what we are learning is that Nitish Kumar has resigned as the chief minister of the state.
22:07And now his cavalcade is also coming out of Lok Bhavan, in fact.
22:11And this is a very, very historic moment, we can say, because for the last two decades,
22:17Nitish Kumar has been at the helm of affairs in Bihar.
22:21And see, this is Nitish Kumar's cavalcade, which is moving out.
22:25And Nitish Kumar is sitting at the back with Samrat Chaudhary.
22:28So it has all happened within five minutes.
22:31Nitish Kumar entering Lok Bhavan.
22:34And now he has tendered his resignation.
22:36And Nitish Kumar is again back at one Ane Mark.
22:39That's his official residence of the Bihar chief minister.
22:42So it has now all happened.
22:44Nitish Kumar has finally resigned as the chief minister of Bihar.
22:55So I am not in South Africa.
22:58It is a rebel owner that needs to be headed for.
22:59The leader of Bihar.
22:59And of course, I will then, the President of Bihar Kishnaman Teris.
23:04And here it is the result of the prime minister of Bihar on theowej Taliban.
23:07So I have been told that Bihar Kishnaman Teri is being a partner.
23:10But it is a leader of Bihar Kishnaman Teri,
23:12and he will then retire.
23:14And the leader of Bihar Kishnaman Teri is a member of the Bihar Kishnaman Teri.
23:19So that he will be the registered leader of Bihar Kishnaman Teri.
23:22I will be the member of the Bihar Kishnaman Teri,
23:24we are going to work on our lifetimes,
23:31we are going to work on our cultural interactivity
23:31and our lifetimes that we will make up
23:33as far as we have done.
23:36There are so many people who are doing this
23:38with the humanitarian service,
23:39the humanitarian management of the Divinity
23:39that we will do this process
23:41when our lifetimes are doing it,
23:49foreign
23:57foreign
23:57foreign
23:57foreign
24:44So you heard from
24:47Chirak Paswan, LJP chief
24:50So let me bring in
24:52the guests again and go to
24:54Sarjan first. Sarjan, so Nitesh Kumar
24:56has resigned. There will be two
24:58deputy chief ministers from the JDU
25:00quota as all
25:02indications are that Samrat
25:04Chaudhary takes oath. What will be
25:06this transition actually like? Do you think
25:08it will be very, very difficult
25:10because Samrat Chaudhary of course has
25:12huge shoes to fill in besides that
25:13the larger image of Nitesh
25:16Kumar was that of him
25:18being strong on governance, strong
25:20on law and order, but also having
25:22an acceptable, softer image
25:24particularly with regards to his schemes
25:26the welfare schemes and
25:28the model that he adopted or
25:30should I say created with regards
25:32to the women of Bihar?
25:34Yes, precisely
25:35the healing touch that Nitesh brought
25:38to the political landscape of Bihar
25:40which was also welfare
25:42scheme centric, restoring the
25:44law and order and most importantly
25:47emerging as a relatable
25:48leader, be it to
25:50particularly to the weaker
25:52segments, be it to women,
25:54be it to Mahadalits, be it to
25:56EBCs and in general
25:58to all Biharis.
26:00So that way Nitesh Kumar, this immense
26:01relatability which brought
26:03you know, a sense of social cohesion
26:05social harmony
26:06since 2005 in Bihar
26:09that is something, a Herculean
26:11challenge in the moment of transition
26:13and therefore the two deputy
26:15chief minister and the chief
26:17minister from BJP, they need
26:19to see Nitesh Kumar
26:21was a package, you know, he was
26:23a person associated with
26:25developmental politics, restoring
26:27law and order, also providing, you
26:29know, healing touch and a softer
26:31image including everyone along.
26:33No leader at this juncture in any
26:35party in Bihar can emerge as a full
26:38package that Nitesh Kumar was
26:40signified with and therefore it has
26:42to be a team.
26:44So therefore the challenge would
26:45be in the moment of transition
26:46of one, having the chief
26:48minister along with two deputy
26:50chief minister who should be at
26:52least catering to one of the
26:55aspects, be it about
26:56relatability, be it about law and
26:58order, be it about continuation of
27:00the social equations, etc.
27:03along with the team.
27:05So it has to be a team work
27:06because Nitesh Kumar emerged from
27:08the, as I've been told, from the JP
27:10movement legacy from their student
27:13politics and thereafter his politics
27:14through 1990s and then emerging in
27:18mid-2000s as a leader who brought
27:21the discourse of Bihar from caste to
27:23development narrative, that was the
27:25dominant narrative with emergence of
27:27Nitesh and therefore would JDU and
27:30BJP be able to have a team of
27:33leadership, particularly the top
27:35leadership where in every section of
27:37Bihar, be it team centric, be it
27:39identity centric, will feel
27:41relatable because Nitesh alone was
27:44capable of doing that, but no other
27:46leader can replace that package and
27:48therefore that team should signify the
27:51continuity and relatability and
27:54inclusiveness.
27:55That is going to be the most important
27:57challenge.
27:57Yes, yes, so, yes.
28:00So Nitesh Kumar was a package, I think
28:02that's the word.
28:04Manisha Priyam, he signified everything.
28:06He had something to offer to each and
28:09every community, to have an outreach for
28:12each and every part of Bihar.
28:14Do you think that will be very, very
28:16challenging for the new Chief Minister,
28:18Nitesh Kumar's successor?
28:23I think you don't need to look at him as
28:26somebody who gave everything to all
28:28communities.
28:28You need to look at him as a man who was
28:32in an outstanding sense rooted to
28:35governance with ideology.
28:37And I think that's a rare combination to
28:40have.
28:40We have people like Chandra Babu Naidu who
28:43are known as the CEO in the arena of
28:45democracy, good governance guy, etc.
28:48But Nitesh, I think, was the one and only
28:52chief minister in the erstwhile northern
28:54states who was like a Tamil Nadu chief
28:59minister, like an Anadurai, like a Kerala
29:03chief minister.
29:04He was a southern man in the arena of the
29:07north.
29:07Social justice along with developmentalism.
29:10Now, this can remain a mere placard.
29:13This can remain a mere propaganda term.
29:16But here is a man who's changed.
29:19Schools, forget roads.
29:20I mean, that's the oft-spoken thing.
29:22Roads followed by Bijali.
29:24Look at the work he did in schools.
29:26Bihar was a state which has the highest
29:29number of teacher vacancies in the world
29:32when Nitesh Kumar took over.
29:34Every teacher appointment was in the
29:36high court.
29:37The famous or the infamous acronym of
29:40Jangal Raj comes because of the fact that
29:42teacher vacancies were not being looked at.
29:45Now, he appoints not less than two and a half
29:48lakh teachers in schools.
29:51I remember the Gandaman tragedy when it
29:53happened, the midday meal.
29:55You know, there were the children of the
29:57Pichada Varg who were studying in that
29:59school.
29:59It is very well known who were the Agaras who
30:02did mixed poison with the midday meal of the
30:05children.
30:06But here was a Nitesh Kumar, the JCBs that were
30:09building roads ran to the school and the bodies of
30:13children were carried on JCBs and to the next
30:17nearest hospital.
30:18That is Nitesh Kumar for you.
30:20Not a man of show, not a man of emotion,
30:23but a man who knew that every minute of his life was
30:28constantly about governance, constantly about being
30:31with the people.
30:32Let me give you one last example.
30:34In 2012, I was doing a review of schools in
30:36Vaishali district.
30:37This was January very cold.
30:39Suddenly, we got a message saying,
30:41Nitesh ji, zile mein prawas kar rahe hai hai, unko
30:45pata chala hai, bachchon ko thand lag rahi hai hai.
30:48Prashasana ko order kia gaya, please supply
30:50schools with firewood.
30:53Aar bachchon ke shareer pe sweaters bhi nahi te hai.
30:55And suddenly, you know, there was a man, he didn't
30:58come and put his own picture saying, here is
31:01Nitesh Kumar giving fuel wood to children.
31:04No, none of that.
31:05This was the governance man.
31:07Through the district magistrate, things must
31:10reach the school.
31:11I think that is very rare.
31:13When he tendered his resignation today, my
31:15thoughts are deeply about writing a piece, for
31:19example, that can distinguish two chief
31:21ministers in the same era.
31:24Chandramu links Andhra Pradesh to the globe,
31:26builds global capitalism.
31:28Nitesh Kumar deepens his hold amongst the poor of
31:33the country.
31:33He does not fight with India's liberalization.
31:36He does not fight with India's globalization, but
31:39keeps his head down-rooted.
31:41Not one attempt.
31:42I know people have said he had this ambition or
31:44that.
31:45But for him, it was the local chair that was most
31:50important that allowed him to serve his people.
31:53And history will judge him with kindness.
31:55History will judge him with kindness.
31:57And will judge him with lenses that are unique to his
32:00positionality.
32:02Manishah Priyam, I agree with you with every word that you have said.
32:06History will be kinder to Nitesh Kumar.
32:09I mean, we may have called him Paltu Kumar or the man who constantly
32:13shifted allegiance.
32:14But remember, Nitesh Kumar has been the only leader this country has seen
32:19who could shift alliances, who could shift alliances, but he was never accused of compromising on
32:24his ideology, that he was a leader who believed in his ideology, lived with his ideology.
32:30And even as he makes this transition, giving up the chief minister's chair here in Bihar, moving to
32:37Delhi as a member of the Rajya Sabha, he is doing so at one of his peaks.
32:432025 mandate has been a farewell election for Nitesh Kumar, a mandate of extreme high, almost similar to the
32:50mandate that Nitesh won in 2010 when he was at the peak of his popularity.
32:55Remember, he's the chief minister who, after serving a state for 20 years, got the same mandate that he won
33:0215 years ago.
33:03That is Nitesh Kumar for all those who don't know about his politics.
33:07Let me bring in Amitabh Tiwari again, and then I'll bring in the reporters.
33:11As Nitesh Kumar resigns, Amitabh Tiwari, away from optics, here was a silent Bihari.
33:18We would often say that Nitesh Kumar did not like cameras as much.
33:22He liked to interact with people, carried out multiple yatras, governance yatras throughout
33:28his 21-year-long tenure in Bihar.
33:31And in every yatra, it was about traveling to every district, meeting the people of Bihar,
33:37trying to understand what affects them, what impacts their lives, and more importantly,
33:43how can he, as the Mukhiya of the state, transform their lives?
33:49Yes, his entire, if you see, his entire governance was based on the fact that he took direct feedback
33:57from the people.
33:58Since he has been in politics for a long time when he became the chief minister, he was
34:04clearly aware of the issues which the state faced in terms of development and also in
34:10terms of the socioeconomic indices.
34:12So when he came to power, the gender ratio, the girls dropout ratio, all of these were very
34:19adverse and way off from the national average.
34:23So he started the cycle distribution scheme, which led to better enrollments, and then followed
34:30it up with the 50 percent.
34:32There is a tweet.
34:34Amitabh, just hold on to your thoughts.
34:36Nitesh Kumar has put out his reaction after his resignation, and he's saying, and I'm quoting
34:43Nitesh Kumar, you know that on 24th November 2005, the NDA government was formed in the state
34:50for the first time, 2005.
34:53Nitesh Kumar, remembering 2005, he says, since then, the rule of law has prevailed in the
34:58state, and we have been continuously engaged in development work.
35:02The government has worked for the development of all sections of society from the very beginning,
35:07whether Hindus, Muslims, upper castes, backward classes, extreme backward classes, Dalits
35:13or Mahadalits.
35:14Work has been done for everyone.
35:16Work has been done in every sector, whether education, health, roads, electricity or agriculture.
35:22A lot of work has been done for women and youth.
35:24In recent times, this work has taken even further.
35:28For the next five years, that is from 2005 to 2025 to 2030, the formation of seven Nishchai
35:35has been done.
35:36This will lead to even more work, as a result of which Bihar will advance significantly.
35:45The centre is also providing full cooperation.
35:48For this, we bow to the Honourable Prime Minister.
35:50We have done a lot of work.
35:52For so many days, we have continuously served.
35:55We have decided that we would now leave the post of Chief Minister.
35:59And therefore, after today's Cabinet meeting, we met the Honourable Governor and submitted
36:05our resignation to him.
36:06Now the new government will look after the work here.
36:09The new government will have my cooperation and guidance.
36:13Even ahead, a lot of work will be done.
36:18This is what Nitish Kumar has tweeted.
36:21Remembering his long tenure, which started in November 2005 to now, Nitish Kumar saying
36:28a lot of work has been done.
36:30It's a government which took care of each and every community, each and every class, each
36:34and every caste, and something that is going to be replicated or continued by the next
36:39Chief Minister.
36:40Rohit, Nitish Kumar's emotive, rather very, very emotional message in that tweet.
36:51Well, yes, Nitish Kumar has just come out with a social media post after handing over his
36:58resignation to the Governor about the work that he has done in Bihar in the last 20 years
37:04and how he had helped Bihar come out from where it was in 2005 and in the condition in
37:11which he had got Bihar way back then.
37:13And in the last 20 years, the kind of work he has done and his contribution made for the
37:19development of Bihar, he was mentioning about all those things.
37:21And now he has said that he is paving way for the next government to be formed and he will
37:27be, he is quitting as the Chief Minister of Bihar.
37:30And as you were also reading out that his good wishes and mentor, and he will continue to
37:35mentor and guide the new government, clearly goes on to show that Nitish Kumar's model of
37:41governance is going to continue in the state for a few years more, because remember, as I was
37:47mentioning, that the BJP still needs the support of Janta Dal United to run the government in Bihar.
37:54And the vote bank that Nitish Kumar has built over the last 20 years, the Kurmi, Koeri, Kushwaha,
37:59that's a love-kush combination along with the Dalit, Mahadalit, OBC, EBC, that has been a very potent
38:07vote bank that Nitish Kumar has created for himself.
38:11And now that Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Chief Minister, obviously this section of the
38:16society is feeling dejected, is not very happy.
38:20And that is why the BJP also understands this fact and are in no mood to antagonize Nitish
38:25Kumar or his voters.
38:26And that is why we are expecting a very low-key affair, sweating in ceremony to take place
38:31tomorrow.
38:32And it's only going to be a change of leadership that will happen in Bihar.
38:36But there will be no systemic change.
38:38And it will be the Nitish Kumar model of governance that will be continuing in the state.
38:45Back to you.
38:49Okay, so news just coming in that Samrat Chaudhary, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Home Minister
38:54of Bihar, has reached the BJP office.
38:58That's where the BJP Legislature Party meeting will be happening.
39:01That's where Shivrat Singh Chauhan, who has been sent by the BJP Parliamentary Board for
39:06overseeing this entire transition, he will be present for the Legislature Party meeting,
39:10which will be electing likely Samrat Chaudhary as the head.
39:14And he is already the Legislature Party head, but that will be only a continuity, a formality.
39:18And thereafter, the ND Legislature Party meeting will be held here at the Vidhan Sabha.
39:24For all these meetings, the BJP in charge of Bihar, we know Tavadi and other leaders are in Patna for
39:32ensuring that this entire transition is smooth.
39:34Let me bring in Sajjan Kumar again.
39:37Sajjan, we have been speaking about Samrat Chaudhary.
39:40Vijay Sina, another leader of the party, is also present.
39:42Let's not forget that in the election that played out a few months ago, there was this
39:47entire, you know, should I say, a lot of reports that came out against Samrat Chaudhary and,
39:55you know, his education, educational background, qualifications.
40:00But he tried to brazen it out.
40:03And with that, the BJP also sent a message that he was made the person who would be heading
40:09that crucial home portfolio.
40:12Yes, yes, Maria.
40:13And besides, you know, comparing Nitish with Samrat Chaudhary, certainly he seems like a
40:20pale shadow because Nitish's educational background, his legacy from the JP movement, something that
40:27cannot be compared.
40:28But nevertheless, in politics, you have to take certain pragmatic and hard decision.
40:32And the fact that in a political landscape of Bihar, you also have to be extremely sensitive
40:38to the social arithmetic, caste and community sensibilities, particularly the subaltern logic
40:44that they should feel included.
40:47And therefore, Samrat Chaudhary caters or fulfills lots many arithmetic and social equations that
40:55BJP and JD also would like to show.
40:59So, one, among the BOBCs constituting the largest block, he comes from the second largest arithmetic,
41:06that is the Kushwaha caste, after the Yadavs.
41:09This is one.
41:10Two, he is now having a lot of experience of governance.
41:14As a home minister in a couple of months, he has delivered and shown that first time Nitish
41:20Kumar let go of the home ministry under Samrat Chaudhary, he had not disappointed.
41:26And three, also, he is young and BJP would like to give chance to a leader who can have
41:32the promise of continuing at least a decade or something, given the circumstances allowed.
41:38You know, so therefore, the social equations are the primary equations.
41:42But as I told, Nitish was a package.
41:46No other leader, you compare, you take Vijay Sina, you take Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, you take
41:51any other leader, they cannot compare on their own all the relatability that Nitish Kumar signified
41:58bit about the healing terms, development, law and order, and inclusiveness.
42:02So, therefore, Samrat Chaudhary is a continuity in terms of sending a message to the populace of
42:09that it comes from the subaltern background. But he needs to work with a team. And this team
42:15should pick on different characteristics that Nitish Kumar was able to signify. And that is
42:22a Samrat Chaudhary plus is an important package that we would be waiting for.
42:28Okay. Okay. There is a piece of news coming in now from the BJP office. That's where the BJP
42:35legislature party meeting is happening. One would say a formality in many ways, but this
42:42is a process. The ball has been set in motion with the resignation of Nitish Kumar for the
42:47next chief minister to be elected from the legislature party. The BJP legislature party will be choosing
42:54its leader. Thereafter, the NDA will be endorsing that leader here at the Vidhan Sabha Central Hall,
43:01where the JDU MLAs will also be present. Nitish Kumar is likely to be present as well.
43:06And then the entire, all these leaders will be heading to the governor's house to stake claim to form
43:13the government. Then the governor will be inviting the new legislature party head to take oath
43:20tomorrow morning. On that note, we are slipping into a short break. This remains our top focus
43:25here on India Today. Stay tuned. Lots more news and updates. It's the end of an era, end of a
43:31legacy,
43:32a closing up of chapter, which has happened in Bihar with Nitish Kumar.
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