The eighth year of Nitish Kumar as chief minister has seen politics dominating over the agenda of development.

Since June 16, when he snapped ties with the BJP, he has lost the comfort of a massive majority of 206 members in a House of 243 and found himself reduced to leading a minority government. His former ally, the BJP, is asking him to issue two report cards: one for the period before June 16 and another for the period when the JD(U) ruled all by itself.

Suddenly, the chief minister, who stormed to power on a landslide in 2010 and seemed invincible, is looking vulnerable. It has also made him unsure about the capabilities of his own partymen — Nitish is looking after as many as 18 departments, including health, finance and home.

“Any minister looking after over three departments cannot do justice,” said former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, while pointing out that the monthly review and monitoring meetings chaired by ministers had gone for a toss. Modi, himself, once headed five key departments.

“When was the last time a meeting was held for the departments of art and culture and other portfolios that were with the BJP,” he asked. The chinks in the administration are showing.

When prices of onion skyrocketed, the Delhi government and a few other states took the initiative to sell vegetables at cheaper rates. The Bihar government did nothing. In the last five months, not a single paisa in investment has come to Bihar — investors are wary about the political instability gripping the state. There have been warnings from the Union home ministry that Naxalite activities in Bihar were on the rise. After a eight-year lull, the Maoists inflicted a massacre in Aurangabad when they killed seven persons belonging to a particular caste, sparking fears of another wave of violence in the state.

Post-June 16, a series of incidents has added to the Nitish government’s woes — the deaths of 23 children from eating a midday meal at Gandaman village in Chhapra; police firing in Bagaha and the serial blasts at Bodhgaya and Patna. Terrorism, so far unheard of in the state, has entered Bihar. Nitish’s grip over the administration suddenly appears to have weakened as the government fumbles from one crisis to another.

Nitish faces, for the first time, strong opposition, both within the legislative houses and outside. The BJP is determined to hit back at its former ally and Nitish’s main political foe, Narendra Modi, is out to make inroads into the JD(U) citadel. The war of words between the former allies has been bitter. Talks about growth, increased GDP, agriculture roadmap and development work have died down.

It’s not only the BJP that is troubling the chief minister. Dissent in the JD(U) and powerful leaders wanting their pound of flesh has made Nitish’s job more difficult. Already three MPs have left his party and more desertions are expected. Statements like the ones made by agriculture minister Narendra Singh that the Bihar chief minister is surrounded by a coterie of politicians with no grassroots experience and corrupt officials have further eroded his authority within the party and in the government.

“Everybody appears to be indulging in pressure tactics for their pound of flesh because they perceive the Bihar chief minister has become weak,” said a senior JD(U) MP.