Bihar's 'Dulha' Dilemma: The Search for a Chief Minister, and Congress's Sharp Jibe

Well, isn't this a curious state of affairs? Post-election Bihar, a political cauldron simmering with anticipation, found itself, for a time, without a clear 'dulha' – a groom, if you will – for the coveted Chief Minister's seat. It's a rather apt, if slightly cheeky, metaphor, one that Congress leader Pawan Khera certainly leaned into during a recent political discourse on News18's 'Sabse Bada Dangal'.

Khera, ever the astute commentator, looked squarely at the ruling NDA coalition and, quite frankly, threw a rather pointed barb. His assessment? That the BJP and JDU, despite their alliance, seemed to be floundering a bit, struggling to finalize their choice for the top job. One might argue it's just the messy reality of coalition politics, where consensus is often a harder-won prize than votes themselves. But then, it also leaves ample room for opposition jest, doesn't it?

The silence, you see, was rather deafening. After the intense electoral battle, a definitive announcement felt conspicuously absent. Naturally, this fueled a good deal of speculation. Was there infighting? Were there last-minute negotiations proving trickier than anticipated? Or, dare we suggest, was there genuinely no single, undisputed 'groom' ready to lead the parade?

Nitish Kumar, of course, had been the face of the NDA's campaign. That much was clear. But in the unpredictable landscape of post-poll arithmetic, even the most established figures can find their path to power a little less straightforward. Khera’s remark, in truth, wasn’t just a throwaway line; it was a clever way to highlight what he perceived as a fissure, a moment of indecision, within the dominant alliance.

It’s a peculiar thing, this dance of democracy, isn’t it? The grand pronouncements before the polls, the fierce campaigning, and then, sometimes, this almost theatrical pause as the dust settles and the real horse-trading – or perhaps, 'groom-finding' – begins. And for a political party like Congress, watching from the sidelines, such moments are ripe for a bit of rhetorical flourish. They seized it, and honestly, who could blame them?

So, as Bihar eventually got its CM, Khera's jibe remains a memorable footnote. It reminds us that politics, even at its most serious, often benefits from a touch of wit, a well-placed metaphor, and, yes, perhaps even a hint of playful impatience from the opposition benches. Because, sometimes, the best way to critique a delay is to ask, with a knowing smile, 'Where's the dulha?'