Tejashwi Yadav and Prashant Kishore claim that a group of senior Janata Dal-United leaders and retired bureaucrats, locally dubbed the 'Bhunja Party', manages the state administration on Nitish Kumar's behalf.
Questions surrounding the mental fitness and health of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are set to become a central focus as campaigning for next month's state assembly polls intensifies.
The 74-year-old leader's recent public appearances have fuelled political speculation. His unusual behaviour at official functions and visible signs of fatigue and confusion have strengthened persistent rumours in political circles that his health is failing.
The Opposition Mahagathbandhan, led by the Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav and the new political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, founded by political strategist Prashant Kishor, have already raised the issue.
Both Tejashwi and Kishore claim that a group of senior Janata Dal-United leaders and retired bureaucrats, locally dubbed the 'Bhunja Party', manages the state administration on Nitish Kumar's behalf.
Bhunja is a Hindi word for roasted snacks popular across Bihar.
Tejashwi Yadav has repeatedly referred to Nitish Kumar as the 'Achet Mukhya Mantri (unconscious chief minister)'.
Prashant Kishor has consistently described Nitish Kumar as 'tired and retired'.
Earlier this week, Tejashwi highlighted the chief minister's erratic behaviour at a function, stating that it 'deepens suspicions about his mental health and the ability to run the government'.
Opposition leaders allege that the so-called 'Bhunja Party' is in full command of the JD-U and government, taking key decisions.
"The Bhunja Party is really running the show in the name of Nitish Kumar, who is neither mentally alert nor fit. His functioning and conduct in public are visible to all," claims one political observer.
RJD Spokesperson Jayant Jigyasu earlier revealed the names of individuals he claims constitute the 'Bhunja Party.' Prominent members reportedly include:
Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh, 70, Union minister and former JD-U president.
Sanjay Jha, mid-50s, JD-U working president and Rajya Sabha MP.
Vijay Choudhary, 68, Bihar cabinet minister.
Ashok Choudhary, 58, Bihar cabinet minister.
Deepak Kumar, 64, retired bureaucrat.
Lalan Singh, a close confidant of the chief minister since the Samata Party days in the 1990s, belongs to the powerful Bhumihar upper caste. He is widely regarded as the party's main strategist, someone who manages its political and financial challenges.
A JD-U leader noted that "Lalan Babu is an old face of the Bhunja Party. He, Nitishji and a few others used to chat for hours."
Sanjay Jha, the JD-U's first-ever national working president, is known for his connections to senior Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders, which are crucial for maintaining the smooth functioning of the National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar.
Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a soft-spoken, six-time MLA from the Bhumihar-Brahmin caste, has been an associate of Nitish Kumar since joining the JD-U in 2005 and is frequently seen accompanying the chief minister in public.
Ashok Choudhary was in the news last month after Prashant Kishor levelled serious allegations against him, claiming he had amassed assets worth ₹500 crore.
Finally, retired bureaucrat Deepak Kumar, a 1984 batch IAS officer, is considered so influential that Opposition leaders frequently refer to him as the 'real chief minister'.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff