NDA allies face protesters' ire, Nitish, Naidu and Chirag come under fire

Protesters targeted Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu and Chirag Paswan, widening criticism beyond the BJP to NDA allies over alleged electoral irregularities.

With 33 MPs between them, the three allies hold significant parliamentary leverage but face pressure over their continued support for the Modi government.

Paswan's criticism of protest restrictions hints at differences within the NDA, though there is no evidence of an imminent coalition collapse.

As thousands of protesters gathered on Barakhamba Road in Delhi during the INDIA bloc's Delhi Chalo March on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over electoral irregularities, a group of protesters was seen thrashing a poster featuring three key NDA allies -- Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu and Chirag Paswan.

The symbolism was significant. The anger was no longer directed at the BJP alone, but also at the allies whose parliamentary support has enabled Narendra Modi to form and run his government despite the BJP falling short of a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"Had they not supported the Modi government, this 'chor' government would have fallen by now," said a protester holding a banner.

.Rahul Gandhi hails nationwide protest, says people will not be intimidated. Another took aim at Nitish Kumar, recalling how the JD(U) leader had once positioned himself as a challenger to Modi and was seen as a potential prime ministerial candidate.

"In his lust for power, he has betrayed the nation," the protester said, arguing that Nitish had compromised his political standing by aligning with the BJP. The protester also predicted that the BJP would eventually swallow up the JD(U) in Bihar.

The targeting of NDA allies marks a tipping point in the protest and points to an attempt by the opposition to broaden the political scope of the protests.

While Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have been the principal targets, the criticism of Nitish, Naidu and Chirag brings a wider question into focus: will the BJP's allies continue to support the Modi government and for how long?

Notably, the protests against NDA allies were not confined to Delhi. In Bihar, too, common people and opposition groups targeted Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

Despite its Abki Baar, 400 Paar slogan ahead of the 2024 general elections, the BJP could only win 240 seats, 32 short of a majority. It subsequently formed the government with the support of its NDA partners, particularly the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the JD(U) and the LJP (Ram Vilas).

.'March to SC': Here's what Rahul Gandhi announced for Monday's protest . The TDP won 16 seats, the JD(U) 12 and the LJP (Ram Vilas) five. Their combined strength of 33 MPs gives them a significant stake in the government's parliamentary survival, even as the BJP remains the dominant party in the alliance.

But This creates a political contradiction for the allies at the same time. Their numbers give them leverage, but continued support also exposes them to criticism from their support base and the opposition parties, seeking to hold the entire ruling alliance accountable for the vote chori.

Though Chirag Paswan has, at times, voiced positions that have put the BJP in an uncomfortable spot. On October 10, amid restrictions and train cancellations ahead of the protests, he questioned attempts to prevent young people from reaching Delhi.

Asking how many trains could be stopped, how much connectivity could be blocked and how many roads could be jammed, Paswan argued that young people could not be prevented indefinitely from raising their concerns.

Bihar watchers believe Paswan's remarks offered a glimpse of the differences that can emerge within the NDA over the handling of SIR and anti-paper leak protests.

The same distinction applies to Nitish Kumar and Naidu. Both lead parties with significant parliamentary representation, but their continued support to the BJP led NDA has helped the BJP retain power.

The protesters' decision to target them suggests that the opposition wants to make their support a part of the 'vote chori'.

The larger political test for the INDIA bloc is whether it can turn the slogan of electoral accountability into a political outcome or not? For now, the anger directed at the BJP allies is a visible extension of the protest, and cracks emerging in the alliance are not evidence that the ruling coalition is on the verge of immediate collapse.

. Join our official telegram channel ( @nationalherald ) and stay updated with the latest headlines