Speaking at the Think India Dialogue, a Network 18 initiative, on Wednesday, Nitish Kumar said Narendra Modi was a non-factor in the 2014 polls in Bihar and that voters would vote on the basis of governance. He has also ruled himself out as a probable PM candidate. Is he right? IBN7's managing editor Ashutosh joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. Hi Ashutosh, Though governance can be one of the factor in Bihar, most likely anti incumbency and recent incidents such as mid day meal issues and governments indifferent behaviour giving respect to martyrs and split in BJP can decide the voting. Modi could be just a add on on those points. What is your opinion. Asked by: Santosh
A. In my opinion governance and larger than life size will be issue during elections along with the caste and communal polarisation, but it will be too early to say who will be winner and who will be loser .
Q. Hi Ashutosh, Do you think Nitish would be aware that his path in Bihar is not so easy after split with BJP. Congress is no a big force. BJP and Lalu can be spoilsport for him and can lead bad taste in his vote share and the seats. Asked by: Santosh
A. JD(U) and BJP were very strong political allies and would have swept elections but divided both will lose. If Congress goes with Nitish then JD(U) will have an upper hand .I still believe that RJD will not a very strong force and possibility of BJP emerging as second most powerful party can not be ruled out .
Q. How his governance in the Bihar state decides about the PM of India in 2014? Has NItish not exposed his ignorance by calling Advani Secular and Modi Communal? Asked by: Raghava Rao Karavadi
A. In coalition politics any group or group of parties can decide the fate of big party and help decide who will be the PM . So Nitish role can not be ruled out. His stand on Advani and Modi is little puzzling as it is the ideology of a party and person that is communal or secular . And both belong to same ideology which is alleged to be called communal.
Q. What is your prediction of seats split in 2014 elections? Asked by: kirupa
A. It will not right to predict who will get how many seats.
Q. Hello Sir, Do you think BJP needs to take any action that could lead to get stronger position in Bihar. Obviously one of them to try aligning with JDU, any other alternative options? Asked by: Santosh
A. BJP in Bihar has very limited choice and that in all probabilty it has to go alone.
Q. What happens if there is a tie up between LALU, CON-GRAZE and Paswan? They have fought together earlier. Asked by: Hiren Bafna
A. I don't see that possibility at the moment .
Q. If we go by Nitish words then JDU and BJP will sweep the Bihar Lok Sabha elections? will it happen??how many seats each major player could win Asked by: Ganesh
A. If Modi is at the fore front then there is no possibility of them coming together .
Q. These days there are huge educated and skilled young workforce who move from Bihar and UP to other parts like Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore in search of better opportunities but the saddest part is that they get entangled in language issues, Bengalis prefer people who speak Bengali,in Mumbai Marathis are always given priority over others. If Nitish comes in, are things going to transform. Asked by: Tanveer Mohammad Masood
A. Things have already improved . Migration from Bihar is now very much less but he has to do lot more to stop their educated youths going to migrate to other states.
Q. If good governance is the real agenda for coming general elections, then BJP ruled states have always performed well as against Congress. In Bihar's case it was coalition govt with JDU for almost 4 years. Don't you think people of Bihar now has the opportunity to compare 4 years of BJP-JDU rule and a year of JDU's governance and exercise their vote accordingly? Asked by: Raghu Vannekala
A. I don't understand the logic that as long BJP was with Nitish, governance was better. Bihar is known for the turn around brought by Nitish and it is only he who gets the credit not BJP .
Q. Hi Ashutosh, Do you think JDU and BJP can be partners again? Asked by: Santosh
A. No if Modi is there as Prime Minister candidate.
Q. in my opinion, for good governance a good team of cabinet is required. Look at Madhya Pradesh, they are producing surplus electricity. Look at Bihar, gareebi and food poisoning is the order of day. Your opinion please ? Asked by: G. Ramadas
A. Nitish has changed the face of Bihar as Shiv Raj gets credit for MP .
Q. Did Mr. Nitish kumar make a mistake by breaking the alliance with BJP? Asked by: kirupa
A. Only history can tell.
Q. If Nitish says that Modi will be a non factor in 2014 then he is certainly in wonderland. Modi has caught the attention of young and middle class whether Nitish or Congress likes it or not.Nitish is talking of good governance after Mid-day meal horror. Do you think good governance alone wins votes or there are multiple factors in a vast country like ours? Asked by: Himanshu
A. Good governance has become a very important factor along with traditional factors. Mid Day meal kind of things can happen any where. Don't forget its not long that hooch tragedy has happened in Gujrat not long ago.
Q. Nitish was talking of Inclusive growth and reminding GOI, UPA 2 and Congress in particular the special status for his state to alleviate the state's economic woes. HE did not what comparison with Gujarat which was on a different footing. He knows that his party has no chance to lead a Government and hence not being a candidate for PM post was no great deal. Will he refuse it, if a coalition position demands him to be one? Asked by: sundar1950in
A. Why should he refuse if he gives a chance?
Q. Hi Ashu, my question is that we put things hypothetically or rather in hypothetical situation, do you think migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who go elsewhere in other parts of India like Mumbai or Delhi would be treated well, if Mr Nitish Kumar becomes the Prime Minister? Asked by: Tanveer Mohammad Masood
A. It might help in improving the situation .
Q. Sir, I watched the Think India Dialogue yesterday and keenly heard what mr. Nitish Kumar was to say about development of Bihar and good governance therein. I wonder if Nitish kuamr has ever noticed "drain of wealth" phenomenon in Bihar leading to further poverishment of the state. A poor state like Bihar certainly can't afford to let go its precarious wealth to other developed states and still hope to match in per capita income. Due to lack of educational institution, good coaching institute, and employment opportunity everyday scores of people (students, labourers (unskilled/skilled/highly skilled) migrate out of Bihar to states with better facilities. In this process they they facilitate draining out of their parents' and own hard earned money out of poor Bihar. Whether it be in form of boarding t& loadging expenses, fee paid to institutes, or other miscellanceous expenses. We all know that money makes money. Don't you think for economic development of Bihar the drain of wealth need to be stopped by creating opportunities inside Bihar. In the way the state can also earn wealth by attracting students/job seekers from other developing states, a reverse brain drain, something west Bengal and Orissa is already doing. Asked by: raja debashis
A. That's what he has said the opportunities had to be created and for that he demanded special status.
Q. Do you think that if Nitish says that 2014 will be about governance and not Modi, he is giving a statement with in-built contradiction? Because the governance issue has come to the fore because of Modi. Is this statement a futile attempt to dissociate brand Modi with good governance? Asked by: Oliver
A. Nitish was talking about inclusive growth and inclusive administration . No body is saying that Modi has not done development but debate is if it is inclusive or not.
Q. If really people have to vote on the basis of governance, Nitish has to spell out five concrete things which his government has achieved during his tenure and five areas which he has failed or could not improve. They should avoid general statement like, peace and harmony, upliftment of poor without statistics to prove, they should compare the following under two governments: power ( new projects during the regime) , number of industries [ new and closed], increase in irrigation facilities / what were the no of industries during the previous regime, roads built, schools reopened etc .....then we can truly believe that elections are fought on governance. They should give this performance district by district and ministry by ministry. Asked by: S ESHWAR
A. Yesterday Nitish spelt out more than five things who he has done. Be it girls education, road development, Health services, controlling Lawlessness and now focusing on power sector.
Q. By condemn Modi Nitish can gains Muslims supports? Asked by: Rajesh
A. Indian Muslims have mind of their own. Just by condemning Modi will not help, he has to do much more to gain confidence.
Q. Without special status Madhya Pradesh has done a lot for the people of that State? Asked by: G. Ramadas
A. MP was always a much better state in comparison to Bihar.
Q. If governance is a factor, then BJP ministers always performed well. Do you think BJP will gain because of it in coming elections? Asked by: Subhrajyoti
A. Don't forget Karnataka was also governed by BJP.
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