Prashant Kishor, a well-known political strategist turned activist, criticized Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for what he perceived as compromising principles to maintain power by aligning closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kishor's remarks were made during a public meeting in Bhagalpur, Bihar.
### Key Points of Kishor's Criticism:
1. **Feet Touching Incident:** Kishor accused Nitish Kumar of bringing shame to Bihar by touching the feet of Prime Minister Modi. He referenced this incident during the meeting of the NDA Parliamentary Party ahead of Modi's oath-taking ceremony.
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2. **Critique of Kumar's Actions:** According to Kishor, Nitish Kumar's gesture of touching Modi's feet was seen as a move to ensure his own political continuation and power within the BJP-led NDA alliance.
3. **Change in Kumar:** Kishor highlighted that Nitish Kumar, whom he had worked closely with in the past, had significantly changed over time. He alleged that Kumar's actions were driven more by political expediency rather than principles that he once adhered to.
4. **Political Clout and Strategy:** Despite JD(U)'s performance in the Lok Sabha polls, Kishor questioned whether Kumar was effectively leveraging his position for the benefit of Bihar. Instead, he suggested Kumar's actions were focused on maintaining his alliance with the BJP beyond the 2025 assembly elections.
5. **Background of Prashant Kishor:** Kishor gained prominence for managing Narendra Modi's successful 2014 Lok Sabha campaign. He later worked with various other political leaders across different parties before stepping away from political consultancy in 2021.
### Impact and Implications:
- Kishor's criticism reflects growing discontent and internal strife within Bihar's political landscape, particularly within the JD(U)-BJP alliance.
- It underscores the complexities of political alliances and the challenges faced by leaders in balancing principles with pragmatic political decisions.
Prashant Kishor's public criticism of Nitish Kumar highlights the evolving dynamics and power struggles within Bihar's political framework, setting the stage for further discourse and potential shifts in alliances and strategies in the future.
