Tracing the arc of ambition, Rajbhar painted a hierarchy of desires: from village head to president. ‘Power intoxicates; each rung breeds the next craving. Nitish, after CM tenure, naturally eyes the Rajya Sabha,’ he observed astutely.

Rajbhar pointed to Nitish’s social media post affirming his Delhi-bound intent for the Upper House. ‘BJP alliance has rolled out the red carpet. They’ve backed him as CM before—why not now?’ he questioned rhetorically.

Addressing Bihar’s leadership dynamics, Rajbhar stressed democratic choice. ‘MLAs of the house will pick the CM; we’re solidly with NDA.’

Turning guns on rivals, he ridiculed SP-Congress ties. ‘Akhilesh and Rahul snipe at each other constantly. Government-bashing is their vote-bank strategy; endorsement of welfare would bankrupt their polls,’ Rajbhar mocked.

He lauded BJP’s equity in pensions—unified at Rs 1,000 rupees—versus SP’s discriminatory rates. ‘Previous loot in farmer subsidies is history; direct benefits flow now, fueling opposition rage,’ Rajbhar concluded, championing governance reforms.

Voters propelled the NDA to victory by rallying behind Kumar, anticipating stable governance for five years. Sinha emphasized, ‘Ditching him now for the Upper House spits in the face of that democratic choice.’ He took a sharp dig at BJP, claiming this sidelining was inevitable.

‘BJP thrives on undermining public verdicts,’ Sinha said, reminding that the party’s votes came via Kumar’s appeal, not its own. With this maneuver, BJP has sidelined its ally, fulfilling its strategic goals.

Turning to governance shake-ups, Sinha highlighted the rash of governor changes and resignations in Bihar. ‘This isn’t random; it’s a precursor to major central interventions. Bihar’s people must watch closely for what’s brewing,’ he cautioned.

Sinha didn’t spare foreign policy either, blasting India’s compliance with US pressures on Russian oil imports despite the waiver. ‘We can’t be puppets. India needs a firm, sovereign voice on the global stage.’

Thursday saw Kumar post on X about his Rajya Sabha aspirations, formally nominating himself with Amit Shah by his side. As Bihar braces for aftershocks, questions swirl about alliance dynamics and future leadership.

Speaking candidly to reporters in Gaya, Manjhi recounted the assurances given by senior BJP figures prior to the 2024 general elections: two seats in the Lok Sabha and one in Rajya Sabha. HAM fulfilled its end by winning the lone Lok Sabha seat allotted, yet the Rajya Sabha slot lingers in limbo.

‘We’ve stood by the NDA, and now it’s time they honor their word. One Rajya Sabha seat is the bare minimum,’ he declared, underscoring the contributions of his party founded post-2015.

Five seats are up for grabs in Bihar as incumbents’ terms expire in April: two from JD(U), two from RJD, and one from ally RLJM’s Upendra Kushwaha. The NDA’s dominance in the state assembly positions them favorably for three wins.

Election timelines are tight—nominations close March 5, scrutiny follows March 6, withdrawals by March 9, and voting on March 16. No candidate names have emerged from the NDA camp yet.

Opposition woes mount for RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, holding only 35 assembly seats against the required 41 for a win. Hopes now pivot to unsolicited backing from AIMIM and BSP, untested waters for the bloc that includes Congress, CPI(ML), and CPI(M).

Manjhi’s public nudge signals potential friction within NDA ranks, as allies jostle for prime parliamentary positions just months after Bihar’s assembly polls.

‘Tejashwi doesn’t need external foes; his deeds do the job,’ Jaiswal retorted. He pointed to the controversial flat buy in Patna’s upscale Defense Colony for Rs 4.5 lakh and painted a grim picture of RJD rule: lawlessness with abductions, killings, and extortion making nights unsafe.

Jaiswal urged Yadav to atone for personal and familial sins before lecturing others. On women’s issues, he quipped that Yadav should first seek his family’s views. Turning to national politics, Jaiswal lambasted Rahul Gandhi for immaturity, unable to accept PM Modi’s rise from poverty.

‘Let him vacation abroad quietly,’ Jaiswal advised. Endorsing Nadda’s ‘naive boy’ label, he criticized Gandhi’s partisan view of India and his affront to Sikh leader Ravneet Bittu by calling him a betrayer. Such conduct disrespects a community etched in India’s freedom struggle.

As Bihar’s opposition cries foul on electoral tactics, Jaiswal’s offensive signals BJP’s aggressive posturing ahead of 2025 assembly polls, framing rivals’ past governance as their Achilles’ heel.

“I would welcome it if Nishant chooses to enter politics. But it has to be his personal decision. As far as Tejashwi Yadav is concerned, he should realise that as the leader of opposition in the assembly, he ought to speak responsibly,” said Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

The averment from Paswan, a former bete noire of the JD(U) supremo, comes in the backdrop of speculations that the BJP, which is fed up with playing second fiddle to Kumar, could pull the rug from under the feet of Kumar, who might retaliate by dumping the NDA again and lending his heft to the opposition camp.

Paswan also claimed that things are not going to be smooth between the RJD and its old ally Congress, which has until now been capitulating before the regional party.

“Hints have been thrown by the Congress’ recently appointed in charge for Bihar,” he said.

The Congress in charge for Bihar Krishna Allavaru has toured the state twice in the last couple of weeks and vowed to rebuild the organisation and eradicate factionalism.