A SIGNIFICANT SIGN: BIHAR POLITICS ENTERS A NEW PHASE: DEVANAND SINGH

A SIGNIFICANT SIGN: BIHAR POLITICS ENTERS A NEW PHASE: DEVANAND SINGH

24-JAN-ENG 13

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA-----------------------------The reason is clear: for the first time, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not kept the Home Department with himself. This is the department he held tightly for most of his tenure, as it is considered the most effective tool for governance, control, and administrative direction.

This time, the Home Department has been given to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. Those familiar with the power structure say that this move is not just a departmental reshuffle, but a profound signal within the power equations. Now, the reins of Bihar's law and order are in the hands of a leader who represents the largest party in the alliance. According to experts, this decision shows that a new distribution of roles and influence has begun in Bihar politics.

For a long time, it was believed that the entire framework of law and order in Bihar functioned effectively only under the control of the Chief Minister. Whether it was the Grand Alliance, the NDA, or the political experiments in between, Nitish Kumar always kept the Home Department at the center. According to experts, the reason for this was that in a state like Bihar, a large part of development depends on the stability of law and order, so the CM himself oversaw it.

But this time, the picture is completely different. When the departments were allocated, the Home Department was given to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, and in return, the JDU received the Finance and Commercial Taxes departments. According to experts, this change is not just an exchange of departments, but a reflection of the growing political needs and pressures within the alliance. Nitish Kumar's party, the JDU, has far fewer seats than the BJP, yet he remains the Chief Minister. In such a situation, giving an influential department to the BJP was almost inevitable as a balancing act, but the question is whether giving the Home Department is merely a sign of harmony or a symbol of shifting points of power balance?

According to former top police officers and experts, this change directly means that the Chief Minister will now have less power of immediate intervention compared to before. Earlier, files came to the CM in two capacities: as Chief Minister and as Home Minister. This gave him direct knowledge and authority in every important matter, but now this situation has changed. Now, files will go directly to the Home Minister. The matter will only reach the Chief Minister if a disagreement or dispute arises. According to experts, this means that the Chief Minister's intervention in day-to-day decisions related to law and order will no longer be as effective as before. In Bihar, police and magisterial powers are separate. This structure has been in place since ancient times, and several governments have tried to change it, but due to strong opposition, it has not been possible. According to experts, the Home Department depends on a balance within the administrative structure rather than being under the control of a single political figure. In such a situation, if the political leadership changes, its working style and priorities directly affect this structure.

According to experts, Nitish Kumar, during his long tenure, maintained a strong grip on law and order while working within this very structure. Now, the same structure will change under the style of a new political leadership. The impact could be positive or it could create complications; this can only be assessed in the coming months.

Giving the Home Department to Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is considered part of the BJP's strategy to establish its decisive role in Bihar politics. According to experts, this department truly tests a leader's administrative capacity, crisis management, and political maturity. Samrat Choudhary has faced controversies in the past due to some allegations, but now he has become the face of the BJP in the state, and the party wants to establish him as a future leadership option. In this situation, the Home Department is both an opportunity and a challenge for him.

According to experts, handling a difficult and sensitive department like law and order demands a precise, calm, and balanced approach. If Samrat Choudhary succeeds in this role, the BJP's political hold will strengthen, but if there is a lapse in law and order, it could also have political consequences. Many political analysts believe that this departmental allocation in Bihar has indicated who holds the real power in the alliance. According to experts, by taking almost all the powerful departments, the BJP has made it clear that its grip on the direction of governance will remain firm, regardless of who the Chief Minister is. Some analysts also view this as a gradual decline in Nitish Kumar's influence. They argue that when the JD(U) relinquishes all important departments to retain the Chief Minister's post, it reflects the uncertainty of its political future. According to experts, it is also possible that this could be Nitish Kumar's last stint in power. If this happens, it could have a profound impact on the JD(U)'s organizational structure. The increasing strength of the BJP within the alliance and the JD(U)'s limited role will further clarify the future political landscape.

The Finance Department has been given to a senior JD(U) leader. This is being described as a symbol of political balance, as the Finance Department is the center of policy-making, but it is also important to note that the Finance Department is not as immediately effective at the administrative level as the Home Department. According to experts, the Finance Department is certainly influential, but its impact is long-term, while the Home Department... The impact of the department reaches the public every day, and law and order is the biggest factor in the success or failure of any government. Therefore, from a political perspective, the BJP has kept the more influential departments with itself.

In the new cabinet, both the BJP and JDU have given positions to their old leaders in several departments. However, several old ministers have been removed, which perhaps indicates that both parties want to further enhance their respective images. Within the BJP, new faces have also been given important departments. This is a sign that the party wants to bring forward the new generation keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections.

The removal of some established JDU leaders also shows that the party is still moving towards internal restructuring, but the question also arises whether the party will be able to maintain organizational stability amidst such rapid restructuring? The new departmental allocation has completely changed the balance of power in the alliance. According to experts, the strength of the alliance will depend on how law and order is maintained under the leadership of the Home Department and whether smooth coordination can be maintained between the Chief Minister and the Home Minister.

If departmental infighting increases, it will affect the entire governance structure, and the stability of the alliance may be challenged. But if both sides maintain smooth coordination, this model can also create a new political direction in the coming years. This departmental allocation in Bihar has most seriously altered the power equations after two decades. Nitish Kumar's tenure is not going to be the same as before. The Home Department being with another leader does not simply mean the transfer of a department, but a new script being written for the power equations. According to experts, it will become clear in the coming months whether this change will bring stability to law and order or create new challenges in the administrative structure, but one thing is certain: Bihar politics has now entered a new phase, in which the centers of power, the position of leadership, and the definition of the alliance are all changing