Nitish Kumar’s Political Comeback: He Rejoins BJP and Upends the Bihar Opposition Structure

On Sunday, 28 January, Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, severing ties with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and rejoining the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

In his second reversal within two years, the 72-year-old Kumar met with BJP leaders in Patna after submitting his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar. Subsequently, Kumar staked a claim to form the government with BJP support, backed by 128 MLAs.

Vijay Sinha and Samrat Choudhary of the BJP set to be sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers. JD(U) cites ‘issues’ within the Mahagathbandhan government with the RJD as the reason behind Kumar’s resignation as CM. The party criticizes Congress for attempting to seize leadership in the Opposition INDIA bloc, leading to JD(U)’s exit.

Addressing the media after submitting his resignation to the Governor, Nitish Kumar stated to news agency ANI, “I have stepped down as the CM and handed a letter to the Governor for government dissolution. There were suggestions from all leaders to resign. I had concerns, which is why I resigned.”

“I had exited the prior alliance and formed a new one, but I observed that the situation here wasn’t favorable. Hence, the recommendation to step down was unanimous.”

Announcing his departure from the Opposition INDIA bloc, Kumar mentioned, “Despite our efforts in the alliance for the past 1.5 years, things didn’t align. Now, we intend to establish a new alliance.”

What Led to Nitish’s Resignation?
Addressing the media, JD(U) leader KC Tyagi explained that challenges within the INDIA bloc and the Mahagathbandhan government with the RJD in Bihar compelled Nitish to resign as CM and rejoin the NDA. Tyagi alleged, “Local issues with the RJD aside, the INDIA alliance faces a breakdown due to the Congress’s inflexible stance. Their attempts to align with AAP and TMC will encounter difficulties, and Maharashtra poses a challenge. After the meetings in Patna, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, they disappeared for four months.

He asserted that the alliance “proposed Kharge’s name for PM, supported by Mamata and Kejriwal, despite the earlier agreement of having no PM face.” Tyagi went on to claim that the “Congress is solely focused on strengthening itself and not the INDIA bloc.”

The Congress aimed to hijack the leadership of the INDIA alliance… In a prior meeting in Mumbai, it was unanimously agreed that the INDIA alliance would operate without a designated PM face. However, through a plot, Mamata Banerjee was manipulated to propose Kharge’s name as the PM face… Other parties have established their distinct identity by resisting Congress… The Congress prolonged the seat-sharing process, and despite our insistence for immediate resolution, INDIA lacked strategies to counter the BJP.

Following Nitish Kumar’s resignation, The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Sanjay Raut, made a symbolic parallel, saying, “There is Paltu Ram in Bihar and Ram in Ayodhya. When Nitish Paltu joined forces with Lalu, the BJP and Amit Shah himself had referred to him as Ram. The BJP has closed its doors to Nitish Kumar, according to Shah. What is the current status of that? The greater Paltu Ram is the BJP. This illustrates Raut’s doubts on the BJP’s position on Nitish Kumar’s political affiliations.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge, commented on Kumar’s exit, expressing concern for the country’s future while asserting that the future of the INDIA bloc remains unaffected. He predicted that Kumar’s resignation would upset the people of Bihar, influencing their voting choices in the upcoming election. Ramesh acknowledged the temporary attention the news might receive but criticized Kumar’s political consistency, stating, “Nitish Kumar gives a tough competition to chameleons.”

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his anticipation of the event, noting, “There are many people in the country like ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ [they come and they go]. When I talked to Lalu ji [RJD president] and Tejashwi [RJD leader], they also said that Nitish was going to leave. If he wanted to stay, he would have stayed, but he wants to go, and nobody can stop him. That’s why we already knew this, but to keep the INDIA alliance intact … if we say something wrong, the wrong message will be sent.”

Overall, these statements from various political figures highlight the perceived inevitability of Nitish Kumar’s departure, concerns about the INDIA alliance, and critiques of Kumar’s political decisions, creating a complex narrative around the unfolding political scenario.

Former Bihar Deputy CM and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi expressed satisfaction with Kumar’s return to the NDA, stating, “We knew that the RJD-JDU alliance was an unnatural alliance and would not last long. We are happy, and now the JD(U) and BJP will together form the government,” according to ANI.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, speaking to the media, emphasized that if Nitish Kumar, the key figure behind the alliance, decides to part ways, there is no future for the INDIA bloc. He further stated, “There is no vacancy for the Prime Ministerial post,” projecting confidence in the BJP’s prospects. Prasad added, “The BJP will have a historic win in Lok Sabha polls, and in Bihar, we will win all 40 seats.”

 

BJP Leaders Are Overjoyed to See Nitish Again.

Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, appointed as Deputy CMs in the newly formed government, assume key roles. Chaudhary, elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party, expressed emotion, stating, “This is an emotional moment for me to have been elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party… The mandate that we received in 2020 for the development of Bihar and to end the terror of Lalu Yadav… When the BJP received the proposal from Nitish Kumar to ensure that there is no ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar, we decided to support it,” during a media address in Patna on Sunday. Sinha, designated as Deputy Leader, affirmed their commitment to reinstate good governance by bidding farewell to the RJD, as reported by ANI.

Highlights: Nitish Kumar has officially rejoined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by taking oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister for the ninth time. This move follows his resignation from the Mahagathbandhan alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the INDIA bloc.

The swearing-in ceremony included key leaders like Samrat Chaudhary, Vijay Sinha, Prem Kumar, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Sharavan Kumar, Sumit Singh, and Santosh Suman.
Before the ceremony, Nitish Kumar met with BJP leaders and later staked his claim to form the government with the support of 128 MLAs. His resignation came as a significant blow to Opposition unity, with the JD(U) citing issues with the RJD and the Congress within the INDIA bloc.

Nitish Kumar’s new cabinet of 8 ministers comprises:
* Samrat Chaudhary (BJP)
* Vijay Sinha (BJP)
* Prem Kumar (BJP)
* Vijendra Yadav (JD(U))
* Vijay Chaudhary (JD(U))
* Sharavan Kumar (JD(U))
* Sumit Singh (Independent)
* Santosh Suman (HAM)

In response, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD criticized Nitish Kumar, stating that the JD(U) would be finished by 2024. Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president, expressed surprise at Nitish’s decision and accused the JD(U) of keeping them and Lalu Prasad in the dark about it.

The induction of Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha as Deputy Chief Ministers was part of the swearing-in ceremony. PM Modi congratulated Nitish Kumar, expressing confidence in the team’s dedication to serving the people of Bihar.

The events surrounding Nitish Kumar’s return to the NDA prompted reactions from political figures. BJP president JP Nadda criticized the INDIA alliance, calling it unholy and unscientific. Nitish Kumar, in a post-oath media address, highlighted his long-standing association with the NDA and addressed concerns raised by Tejashwi Yadav.

The development signifies a major political shift, impacting the dynamics of the Opposition alliance and setting the stage for Bihar’s political landscape in the lead-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.