“Whenever in doubt, start the journey”. This has clearly been the defining characteristic of each political journey, when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the reins of energy in Bihar since 2005.
Nitish’s ongoing “Samaj Sudhar Abhiyan” (social reform marketing campaign) journey is his twelfth go to because the Chief Minister of Bihar. For the October 2005 meeting elections, he had began the “Nyay Yatra” with the promise of “development with justice”, which later turned the tagline of his authorities.
The said goal of the JD(U) supremo’s present statewide go to is to create public consciousness in opposition to alcoholism, dowry and little one marriage.
Like the earlier visits, the Chief Minister began the current Yatra from East Champaran. He will full his first section on January 15, masking 12 districts, and can journey to Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Begusarai and Purnia.
But the vital query is that at a time when the state meeting and Lok Sabha elections are distant, why did Nitish must embark on one other political journey? After all, 7 out of 11 of his political journeys started near the Lok Sabha or meeting elections.
For instance, Nitish undertook his “Vikas” yatra in February 2009, three months earlier than the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Similarly, he undertook a “Vishvas” yatra in April 2010, six months earlier than the 2010 meeting elections.
There are many causes behind the CM’s newest political tour. Of late, he has been beneath intense political strain to justify the state’s liquor prohibition regulation, which has been in pressure since April 2016.
Two spurious liquor incidents in Gopalganj and West Champaran final month shook his authorities, prompting the opposition and the media to query the necessity for a regulation that can’t be correctly carried out. Fourteen folks died because of consumption of spurious nation liquor in Gopalganj and 16 folks died because of consumption of illicit liquor in neighboring West Champaran district.
The CM, who arrived in Gopalganj on Friday throughout his present go to, informed a public assembly: “It was Gopalganj the place the primary alcohol punishment occurred when 9 folks got dying sentences and 5 folks had been discovered responsible of alcoholism as not too long ago as 2016. Was sentenced to life imprisonment. through which 18 folks died). Lessons ought to be discovered from this.”
RJD chief Lalu Prasad demanded the repeal of the liquor regulation, saying the state was dealing with a lack of round Rs 6,000 crore, which may come to the state from excise obligation on liquor.
The BJP, a senior JD(U) alliance accomplice, has not formally sought to repeal the liquor regulation, however rumblings have begun from second-run BJP leaders about liquor merchants and distributors insisting on the regulation. There has been little strain on the state police to cease the smuggling and manufacture of liquor in Bihar.
The JD(U) can also be beneath assault from the BJP for the primary time over Nitish’s much-publicised “good governance or good governance” problem.
Union Minister and BJP MP Giriraj Singh stated that the state authorities has failed to meet its goal in Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. Patliputra BJP MP Ram Kripal Yadav additionally made comparable allegations in opposition to the Nitish Kumar authorities through the not too long ago concluded session of Parliament.
The JD(U) doesn’t dominate the Bihar authorities, regardless of being the third largest get together (45 seats) behind allies BJP (74 seats) and RJD (75 seats) within the 243-member state. Meeting.
A seasoned chief, Nitish has mastered the artwork of political maneuvering. The BJP is but to undertaking its chief in Bihar and its two deputy CMs, Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, have posed hardly any problem to Nitish’s management. Such a scenario is favorable for Nitish to extend his political supremacy. So, at this juncture, he has stepped on the bottom to really feel the heartbeat of the folks, gauge their recognition and activate his cadre on the grassroots degree, at the price of the exchequer.
Beginning his “social reform” journey in East Champaran on 22 December, Nitish stated, “I will not attend any wedding ceremony in which I do not receive any written undertaking saying that no dowry was taken or not given”.
He has additionally been calling upon the ladies of the state to share details about the drinkers, liquor makers and merchants. By doing so, he’s attempting to achieve out to 10 lakh girls self-help teams (SHGs) – an unlimited constituency of ladies.
Trying to contest over a dozen seats within the upcoming UP Assembly polls, the JD(U) can also be sending a sign to the BJP that it could search Nitish’s assist in campaigning for some Purvanchal seats with a big OBC inhabitants. . Patel neighborhood, which has similarities to Kurmi, is the caste of the Chief Minister of Bihar.
Taking a dig at Nitish’s present political tour, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav stated: “Bihar needs systemic reforms first. Once the system is reformed, social reforms will happen automatically… Why waste public money on travel?”
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
