Bihar's Political Chessboard: RJD Launches Sharp Jab at NDA Over Dynastic Politics in New Cabinet

The political landscape of Bihar is rarely static, and it certainly lived up to that reputation recently with the much-anticipated expansion of the state cabinet. As new ministers took their oaths, promising to serve the people, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) wasted no time in stirring the pot, launching a rather pointed attack on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regarding a topic that always seems to spark political fireworks: dynastic politics.

No sooner had the dust settled on the swearing-in ceremony than RJD's spokesperson, Mrityunjay Tiwari, stepped forward with a sharp jab. He essentially called out the NDA for what he perceived as a glaring hypocrisy. You see, the NDA, particularly the BJP, has often been quick to criticize the RJD, and indeed many other regional parties, for promoting family members within the political sphere. But according to Tiwari, the recent ministerial picks within the NDA's own ranks told a different story entirely.

And what, precisely, was the RJD's bone of contention? Well, a closer look at the new ministerial roster, particularly those from the NDA camp – which includes the JD(U), BJP, and HAM – revealed several names with undeniable familial ties to established politicians. Tiwari didn't shy away from listing them: there's Leshi Singh from JD(U), reportedly the wife of the late Butan Singh. Then Maheshwar Hazari, also from JD(U), who is said to be the son of the late Ram Sewak Hazari. Sheo Shankar Rai of the BJP comes in as the son of the late Brij Kishore Rai. And the list goes on: Ratnesh Sada (JD(U)), son of the late Mahavir Sada; Hari Bhushan Thakur (BJP), son of the late Laxmi Narayan Thakur; and Prem Kumar (BJP), son of the late Ram Govind Singh. Perhaps the most prominent example cited was Santosh Kumar Suman from HAM, who, as many know, is the son of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi. It's quite a collection of familiar names, isn't it?

The RJD, for its part, has always maintained a slightly different philosophy on this whole 'dynasty' business. Their argument often boils down to this: if an individual possesses talent, capability, and the desire to serve, their lineage shouldn't automatically disqualify them from a political role. In fact, they've often argued that dismissing someone purely based on their family background would be unfair. This perspective, of course, stands in stark contrast to the NDA's frequent admonishments of other parties on the same issue.

This latest exchange, though seemingly a familiar dance in Bihar politics, underscores the deeply ingrained nature of dynastic succession across various political parties in India, regardless of their public posturing. It's a debate that seems to surface time and again, and the recent Bihar cabinet expansion has simply provided the latest stage for these political rivals to highlight each other's perceived inconsistencies. One thing is for sure: in Bihar, the political drama is always unfolding, with plenty of twists and turns to keep everyone on their toes.