Upheaval jolted Bihar just weeks into 2024, as Nitish Kumar, the state's longest-serving chief minister, made yet another dramatic volte-face to realign with his old ally, the BJP. The septuagenarian, renowned for his uncanny ability to shift political allegiances at will while maintaining his grip on power, abandoned the INDIA bloc he had diligently helped form, relinquishing his hopes of securing a "national role" in politics. This unexpected move sent shockwaves through the political landscape, signalling yet another twist in Kumar's ever-changing political journey. Perhaps sensing in advance that Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be diminished but not vanquished, Kumar agreed to be an ally on whose support BJP now depends for survival in power at the Centre. In the bargain, the 73-year-old leader has earned the backing of the BJP and all its junior allies in the state where assembly polls are due in 2025. Kumar enjoys the clout even though skeptics such as political ...