Nitish era nears end, ‘Phir se Nitish’s posters/hoardings removed in Patna

Amid efforts to form a new government in Bihar, a significant change has been observed outside the JD(U) office in Patna, where several posters and hoardings, put up during the Assembly elections, have been removed. Prominently among them were hoardings bearing the slogan “25 se 30 — phir se Nitish” (“25 to 30, Nitish Again”).

A noticeable silence prevailed outside the party office on Monday, with only a few workers seen taking down the remaining posters.

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Ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, the NDA had popularised the slogan, “25 se 30 — phir se Nitish”, asserting that Nitish Kumar would continue as Chief Minister for the next five years. However, just four months after the formation of the government, a major political shift appears underway, and Nitish Kumar’s exit from the top post after nearly two decades now seems imminent.

Political activity in the state has intensified, with major developments expected over the next 48 hours.

Reacting to the developments, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said the NDA is removing the very leader in whose name it contested the elections. He alleged that those currently surrounding Nitish Kumar would stop paying attention to him within a few months.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader further claimed that JD(U) is functioning like a wing of the BJP and referred to an alleged “deal” involving protection from cases and benefits through government contracts.

Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) founder and former minister Mukesh Sahani said even before Nitish Kumar formally resigned, posters and banners bearing his name were being removed from the JD(U) office. He added that those praising Nitish Kumar today would soon forget him.

Targeting the BJP, Sahani alleged that the party never wanted Nitish Kumar to be Chief Minister and that its intentions were evident even during the elections, though circumstances prevented it from acting earlier. “Now that they have got the opportunity, Nitish Kumar is being forced into the Rajya Sabha,” he claimed, calling it a calculated strategy to weaken JD(U).

Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi made an emotional post on X, saying, “We will miss you, Nitish ji.” He wrote that Nitish Kumar is likely to step down within the next 24 hours and that the development has left many people emotional.

He added that Bihar has seen many Chief Ministers come and go, but rarely has the mere news of a leader stepping down evoked such widespread sentiment. While acknowledging that the decision is Nitish Kumar’s own, he said the state appears saddened by the development.

“Every Bihari is saying — We will miss you, Nitish ji. Bihar feels incomplete without you,” he wrote.