Curated By: Sanstuti Nath
Last Updated: January 28, 2024, 08:03 IST
Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: It will be the second volte-face by Kumar in less than 18 months, when he had dumped the BJP, accusing it of having tried to engineer a split in the JD(U), and joined hands with the RJD-Congress combine, with which he had severed his ties in 2017
Bihar News LIVE Updates: With Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s return to the BJP-led NDA imminent, sources privy to the development said that the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) president was likely to resign on Sunday and a new state government, with the support of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), would be sworn in by evening today. “Tomorrow at 9 am there will be a meeting of BJP MLAs and MPs again. At 10 am, JD(U)’s MPs and legislators will have a meeting at CM’s residence. Following this, all BJP MLAs will come to the CM’s residence and extend their support to Nitish Kumar. After a joint NDA meeting, Nitish will be chosen as the leader of the NDA legislators,” sources said.
After this, Nitish Kumar is likely to head to Raj Bhawan, tender his resignation and stake claim to form a new government. The formation of a new government, with the BJP’s support, is “expected by the evening”. “The Bihar CM has sought time to meet the Governor in the first half of the day. Offices, including the Governor’s secretariat, have also been ordered to remain open on Sunday in view of the likelihood of hectic activities”, said the source who claimed that Kumar, who has maintained a deafening silence over the political turmoil in the state, had “confided in trusted aides about his next move “a couple of days ago”.
History Of Nitish Kumar Switching Sides
Kumar’s exit from Mahagathbandhan, which he had joined less than 18 months ago, would deal a body blow to the opposition bloc INDIA. He had joined hands with RJD, founded by his former arch-rival Lalu Prasad, in August 2022 after he severed ties with the BJP which he accused of having tried to engineer a split in the JD(U).
The longest-serving CM of Bihar, thereafter, embarked upon a drive to bring together all parties, across the country, to take on the BJP that culminated in the formation of the opposition bloc INDIA. Over the past two decades, Kumar has frequently switched alliances between the BJP and the RJD-Congress-Left coalition while retaining his position in office.