ET Analysis: After Lalu Prasad & Ram Vilas Paswan, the last of JP-era trio steps aside

Together, they ensured the dominance of regional parties in Bihar even as neighbouring states in the Hindi heartland experimented with BJP- and Congress-led governments. Nitish's departure heralds a new political phase in Bihar that both the BJP and JDU are largely unaccustomed to. When a chief minister who has ruled for two decades steps aside, it becomes difficult for the successor to match public expectations as well as manage alliance dynamics. In this scenario, Nitish's exit poses several challenges...