PatnaNovember 2, 2025 07:14 PM IST
First published on: Nov 2, 2025 at 07:14 PM IST
Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad suggests that the CM question in Bihar is not up for discussion, saying his party is particular about maintaining relationships (“Hum rishtey nibhate hain”). In an interview, the Patna Sahib MP discusses the BJP’s partnership with Nitish Kumar and the JD(U), says the Opposition’s campaign is not working, and talks about Tejashwi Yadav’s government jobs promise, his party’s state leadership, and the Jan Suraaj factor. Excerpts:
What makes you confident that the NDA will beat any anti-incumbency?
The NDA’s good performance stands in sharp contrast to the misrule of Lalu and Rabri raj. People have seen and still bear the memories of ‘jungle raj’: kidnappings for ransom, how they were officiated by the inaction of the police, and rampant corruption. As far as Nitish Kumar’s governance is concerned, people, for the first time, got to enjoy the benefits of good governance and development: good roads, electricity in all villages, empowerment of women, the ‘Jeevika scheme (JEEViKa, or Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society, for women)’, and the overall goodwill in terms of development. Add to that the recent initiative to empower women. People understood it.
The second thing is that Nitish Kumar is an honest man; he enjoys goodwill. The BJP has Chief Ministers in nearly 18 states, we ensure that our tie-up with allies continues. You know my contribution (as a lawyer) towards the fight against the fodder scam. Nitish Kumar came with us in 1996 and has been with us, regardless of one or two ups and downs. In Hindi, I would say: Hum rishtey nibhate hain (we maintain our relationships). The Badals (Shiromani Akali Dal leaders) left on their own, the Shiv Sena left on its own… This (the NDA) is a solid bedrock of support and others have also joined in. We expect a massive victory on November 14, when the results come out.
What is the import of the BJP fighting an equal number of seats as the JD(U) for the first time?
There’s no significance. We are partners and when we had a larger number of seats (than the JD-U), we made him the Chief Minister even then, in 2005, 2020. The number is not that significant; the unity is important.
The BJP talks about ‘jungle raj’ from over two decades ago. Does it still have a resonance?
They (people) never forget it. They have heard from their parents, elder brothers. Go to the villages, ask them about the Lalu-Rabri regime and the torture they witnessed on the ground.
I will give you an example. My constituency (Patna Sahib) is at the crossroads of the two communities of support of the NDA and the RJD. (When there was an alliance between the RJD and the JD-U) Nitish Kumar’s support base was like, ‘Please back out, we cannot work with them.’ The same is the condition everywhere. During the SIR movement, their (RJD) support base came on the streets, flexing their muscles, unnerved. It’s not something of the past. They (supporters of the JD-U ) know that when the RJD comes to power, they get their own raj, which means they will do whatever they wish, with no police action.
Do you expect any impact of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘vote chori’ campaign on the electorate?
It was a fiasco. He is a political tourist and he occasionally comes to Bihar. Then goes to some countries… I don’t know where. But has Tejaswi Yadav mentioned vote chori? With 99.9% people registering themselves as voters, the man got exposed.
What’s your assessment of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar?
This whole campaign (of Gandhi), right from the beginning, lost its sheen and rationale. Because people know it is a process that keeps happening. Even a month before the voting, you can get your voting rights revived.
Is it a disadvantage that, despite being a national party, the BJP has not been able to place a face to its campaign?
One must understand the context. Nitish Kumar is the Chief Minister. Like I said earlier, hum rishtey nibhate hain. Our relationship with Nitish Kumar is rock solid.
But the BJP does not appear to have a strong line-up of state leaders who can succeed Nitish Kumar. There are allegations of irregularities against some of the leaders, including Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary.
It is a hypothetical question. The party has got enough talent and our leadership will take the call. I totally deny the malicious campaign against our leaders.
This failure to bring up second-rung leadership runs across states.
We have many charismatic leaders. We ultimately ensure the strengthening of the party and that process brings the leadership. Had we not done it, we would not have been ruling a substantial part of the country in such a massive way.
Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor has presented the documents claiming to prove his charges against BJP leaders in Bihar.
Our leaders have denied them all. Prashant Kishor has been asked many questions, but he could not answer them. These allegations keep coming in a motivated manner, but they die a natural death.
What do you think about Jan Suraaj? Can it get the vote of the youth, a section of whom appear to be fascinated by it?
In a democracy, everyone has the right to be part of the electoral process. As per our analysis, it is not going to hurt us. The NDA is winning with a massive tally. Let’s see how long Jan Suraaj survives the electoral campaign heat.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s job promise of a government job for each family is also being talked about …
People know that it is not executable. A government job for a full 2.97 crore families will cost the exchequer Rs 12 lakh crore at a very conservative calculation. Where will the money come from? He knows he is not going to come to power, so let’s promise the moon. The people of Bihar are mature enough to understand that only Nitish Kumar and Narendra Modi can deliver.
Unemployment is also a serious issue, with talk of jobs everywhere. Has the NDA government fallen short here?
In the entire 15 years of Lalu-Rabri raj, only 94,000 jobs were given. The Nitish Kumar government has given 18 lakh. We are promising one crore now. Today, every village has electricity, so many roads and bridges have come up, fertiliser plants have come up, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has got plants here and a range of developmental activities is taking place. Today, digital payments have become common in Bihar. There are common service centres and all these create employment opportunities.
Was the BJP compelled to back Nitish Kumar as CM again, despite reports about his health, as his popularity and support base remain intact?
Our rishta is not new. We came together in 1996. Despite the rumours about his health, he has been travelling around the state to campaign extensively. He is perfectly in control and working very seriously for the development of Bihar. Again, hum rishtey nibhate hain. Once we decide on a relationship, we ensure it works. Nitish Kumar also knows very well that only in the company of the BJP, he can deliver a stable government, with the Union government and state governments working in tandem.