The JDU on Tuesday launched its official Lok Sabha election campaign song, chronicling the achievements of chief minister Nitish Kumar and invoking him “to fight” but failed to mention who.

Giving an impression that it was written keeping in mind Nitish as the architect of the INDIA bloc, the song’s refrain goes like this: “Badha-badha ho, badha ho-badha Nitish Kumar, lada-lada ho, lada ho-lada Nitish Kumar (March forward Nitish Kumar and fight).”

With Nitish currently heading the NDA alliance in Bihar after breaking up with the Mahagathbandhan in January, the new song, however, fails to be in sync with the fresh partnership that the party has formed with the BJP to give the state a “double-engine government”.

The song invigorates Nitish to fight but does not mention the opponent, especially when the NDA is in power in Bihar and at the Centre and Nitish has been at the helm of affairs in the state for 18 years.

Asked about the probability if the song was written keeping in mind Nitish as the INDIA bloc flagbearer, a senior JDU leader told The Telegraph: “There seems to be an anomaly in the song because Nitish has led Bihar for around two decades, and has been a part of the NDA for the larger part of his tenure as chief minister. Maybe the song was conceptualised when he was with the INDIA bloc. Maybe it is invoking him to fight the social ills.”

The song, created under the guidance of JDU Rajya Sabha member-elect Sanjay Kumar Jha and a team of people associated with the party, also says: “Lakhon naukri, roje roje rojgar, khushhaal angna, jagmag hai duar (Lakhs of jobs and daily employment and because of these there is happiness in the courtyard and the entrances remain brightly lit).”

The portion of the song refers to the spate of government jobs provided in Bihar during 2022 and 2023. Though the RJD has claimed credit for the jobs, the JDU has asserted that it was one of the objectives under Nitish’s seven resolves for a developed Bihar.

“The song is five minutes long and very powerful. It has tried to summarise the work of chief minister Nitish Kumar over the past 18 years. The boys and girls of Bihar, who are doing well all over the country, were involved in creating this song. They have put their experiences in it,” Jha said.

He, however, did not reveal the names of the people or the team associated with the creation of the song.

Emphasising that Nitish took charge as the chief minister wearing a crown of thorns and not a golden one, the song also dwells upon issues such as poverty, hunger, underdevelopment, crime and Naxalism, and juxtaposes them with the CM’s achievements in the field of education, infrastructure, women’s welfare, employment, caste, gender and communal equality, agriculture, water and electricity.