Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar resigned as Bihar chief minister on January 28 after severing ties with the 'Mahagathbandhan' to break away from the ruling government. Nitish Kumar, who left no stone unturned in uniting the opposition to take on Prime Minister Modi in the Lok Sabha polls, has once again returned to the BJP-led NDA in less than 18 months. This is also because of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which will take place within the next four months.
While talking to reporters, Kumar said, “Today I have resigned as chief minister and I have also told the governor to dissolve the government in the state. This situation arose because not everything was fine… I got views from everyone “I listened to them all. Today the government was dissolved…”
Media reports have stated that Kumar is likely to take oath as Bihar CM this evening. With this switch to the NDA, this would be the fifth time he would switch sides.
Nitish Kumar joined the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022 after cutting ties with the BJP and accusing it of trying to “split” his JD(U). He formed a new government with a multi-party coalition comprising RJD, Congress and three Left parties.
Nitish Kumar's first move was in 2013: Nitish Kumar formed the government in 2005 in alliance with the BJP. He broke ties with the BJP in 2013 as he was reportedly unhappy with Prime Minister Modi's appointment as Prime Minister. Later, he contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls alone in which he won only two seats, compared to 18 in the 2009 polls.
2015 Assembly elections with RJD: In the 2015 Assembly elections, he fought the elections along with the RJD in which the 'mahagathbandhan' won with majority and Kumar claimed the CM's seat. However, his dissatisfaction resurfaced as Kumar found it difficult to accept his party's diminished role within a broader coalition where the RJD had the majority mandate. In 2017, following Tejashwi Yadav's allegations of corruption, Nitish broke away from the coalition and returned to the BJP.
Nitish Kumar returned to the NDA in 2017: In 2017, he returned to the NDA where he contested the 2019 national polls and the 2020 Bihar elections as part of the BJP-led fold. But in 2022, Kumar left the NDA to re-form the government and form the next government in Bihar with the support of seven parties, including RJD, Left and Congress. Now, in 2024, Kumar has once again left the 'mahagathbandhan' and the INDIA alliance and will join the BJP.
Current figures in Bihar assembly:
In the 243 Bihar Assembly, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP at 78; JD(U) at 45, Congress at 19, the CPI (ML) at 12, CPI(M) and CPI each at 2, and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (secular) at 4. Two more seats are with the AIMIM and one independent .
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Published: Jan 28, 2024 1:30 PM IST