What next in Bihar?

In Bihar, we are seeing the conjunction of politics and legality. The next turns in the state’s politics, and the larger issue of whether key Opposition parties stick together for the 2019 general election to try to defeat the BJP, will depend on which triumphs — the dictates of politics, or what politicians make of the law.

In the backdrop of the CBI investigating corruption cases and filing FIRs against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s family, specially his son Tejashwi, Bihar’s deputy CM, the RJD leader has said his son won’t resign as the entire issue was bogus and nothing but a political vendetta. Chief minister Nitish Kumar didn’t endorse this on Tuesday, and instead gave the RJD four days to clarify its position. This causes a big suspense. What happens after the deadline passes since Mr Kumar has cultivated a “Mr Clean” image?

The point is that Mr Kumar has chosen to be arbiter of any explanations that may come from the RJD, assuming this does materialise. He has no basis to decide whether these are sustainable or not. That’s a court’s job. Is Mr Kumar therefore keeping a side political window open to ensure the survival of his government?

On the other hand, what will the CM do if the CBI chargesheets the deputy CM before the deadline expires? Mr Kumar can duck behind the political precedent set by PM Narendra Modi who didn’t ask Uma Bharti to resign as a minister although she has been chargesheeted in the Ayodhya case. But Mr Kumar’s image doesn’t rest on such precedents.