Bihar witnesses political implications of demonetization too
Patna,(BiharTimes): It would be difficult to say whether Bihar has greater economic or political impact of demonetization.
No doubt note ban and GST have contributed immensely to the slowing down of the economy of the state as it is among the highest suppliers of work force to the country. But that was not enough.
Two more developments––prohibition and crack down on ‘sand mafia’ which preceded and followed note ban––also had its detrimental affect on the state’s economy.
But Bihar is different in another way. It is the state where demonetization hastened the pace for the formation of a new political alliance.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar was the first and perhaps the only prominent leader of the opposition to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi’sNovember 8 evening announcement. He did so in the following morning, not even bothering to hesitate as his party, the JD(U)’s former president Sharad Yadav had flayed it on the same November 8 night. The latter continued to oppose it in the Rajya Sabha. He took part in all the programmes and meetings of the opposition parties organized in this regard.
Nitish not only stopped there, but asked the Centre to crack down on ‘benami’ property. Thus started the flirtation between Nitish and the BJP––obviously after more than three years of estrangement. Nine months laterit resulted in the divorce with RJD and Congress and return to the NDA fold.
The winning over of Nitish is considered as a big achievement for the BJP. No it has not made the saffron party more powerful. In fact it had weakened the opposition rank in the state as well as at the national level.
However, three months after the political re-marriage between JD(U) and BJP differences have re-surfaced between the two parties. The relationship is not that cordial as it used to be before 2013.
BJP leaders are seen openly criticizing Nitish with none from JD(U) daring to hit back. Only on Monday a large number of the BJP workers strongly criticized Nitish as well as his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi (though of the same party) after the former called for reservation in private sector and outsouring companies. There was none from JD(u) to counter the slogan shouting youths of the BJP.
