Amid continuous buzz in political circles that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will soon be replaced by a BJP leader, the party has planned to organise the birth anniversary of the 1857 uprising hero and freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh on April 23 at Jagdishpur in Bhojpur as a grand event as part of the Centre’s Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav programme to celebrate 75 years of Independence.
Union Home Minster Amit Shah is scheduled to attend the event along with his junior Minister Nitya Nand Rai, who is said to be a strong contender for replacement of CM Nitish Kumar.
State BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad on Wednesday visited Bhojpur to monitor the preparations for the celebration. Mr. Kumar, said party sources, has not yet received the invitation for the event.
The state BJP leaders are in an upbeat mood. Union Minister of Power Raj Kumar Singh represents Bhojpur in Parliament and he too will be present on the occasion. “It will be a grand event which will send several important messages across the political spectrum,” a senior BJP leader told The Hindu.
Veer Kunwar Singh had played a key role in the uprising of 1857. In April 1966, a commemorative stamp was issued to honour him and a university was established in 1992 in Bhojpur in his name.
The BJP has for the first time planned to celebrate the jayanti as a grand event at his birth place in Jagdishpur of Bhojpur. Earlier,the anniversary was organised by the State government.
The event is said to be going to make a world record by waving more than 75,000 national flags on that day. The BJP supporters and people from 12 neighboring districts of Bhojpur are likely to participate in the event. “Our leader Amit Shah and others will be participating in the event. It will be a non–political event and through it the coming generation will be made aware of the sacrifices of freedom fighter Veer Kunwar Singh,” said State BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal.
The political buzz is that through this mega event, the BJP may project party MP from Ujjiyarpur Nitya Nand Rai as likely replacement of Mr. Kumar. Mr Kumar is also likely to shift soon from his official bungalow 1, Anne Marg to 7, Circular road. Officials said it was because of renovation work.
But sources in the CM Secretariat said: “The way the renovation work is going on at 7, Circular Road — some belongings of Mr. Kumar have already shifted there — it seems he is going to be there for a longer period of time.” After the Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll result, the buzz for change of guard in Bihar has gained ground. It is said Mr. Kumar either would go to the Rajya Sabha or be the next Vice-President leaving his chair for the BJP.
“If it happens, for the first time the BJP will have its own Chief Minister in Bihar at a time when it is the single largest party in the Assembly today. If not now, then when?”, asked political analyst Ajay Kumar.
