Polls Near, Bihar's 'Jungle Raj' Debate Intensifies As Chirag Paswan Joins Oppn To Take On Nitish Kumar

Last Updated:July 08, 2025, 10:42 IST

Nitish Kumar’s politics has been all about exposing the ‘jungle raj’ under the Lalu regime, but the shoe is now on the other foot, and Kumar is facing flak from even allies

With even NDA allies like Chirag Paswan expressing their disapproval over the situation, the heat is on Nitish Kumar who has always held the home portfolio and, in effect, controls the police force. (PTI)

“Law and order in Bihar has collapsed"—it is not just the Opposition saying so in Bihar, but also an NDA ally and Union minister Chirag Paswan. This shows how lawlessness, more colloquially called ‘jungle raj’, is emerging as the biggest issue ahead of elections scheduled at the end of the year.

The murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka on July 4 in the heart of Patna by contract killers has given a virtual lifeline to the likes of the RJD to turn the tables on the Nitish Kumar government on the issue of ‘jungle raj’. With even NDA allies like Paswan expressing their disapproval over the situation, the heat is on the long-standing chief minister who has always held the home portfolio and, in effect, controls the police force. Kumar’s politics has been all about exposing the ‘jungle raj’ under the Lalu regime. But the shoe is now on the other foot, and Kumar is facing flak from even allies.

The BJP here is in a piquant situation. It is now citing how the police force under Kumar has quickly solved the Patna case with the arrest of the shooter, another key accused, and has killed one accused in an encounter—all within four days. This, the BJP says, is a change from earlier times when killers and mafia like Shahabuddin were sheltered in the Lalu Prasad regime.

But, inside the BJP camp in Patna too, there is no denying the fact that the killing has come as a setback to the NDA’s campaign against the Mahagathbandhan.

The murder happened in a posh area of Patna near Gandhi Maidan, prompting Paswan to ask if this was the situation in the heart of Patna, one can only imagine the situation in the villages.

The RJD is now highlighting the murder of five persons of the same family in a village in Purnea, three killed In Siwan, and another three killed in Buxar—all in the last one week—to cite how Paswan’s fears are true. The BJP, however, is saying it will ensure Bihar will never return to ‘jungle raj’ like it was under the Lalu regime. The heat clearly in on chief minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the presumptive chief ministerial face.

News elections Polls Near, Bihar's 'Jungle Raj' Debate Intensifies As Chirag Paswan Joins Oppn To Take On Nitish Kumar