The political turmoil in Bihar, centered on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s departure from the Opposition alliance to take on PM Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 and subsequently rejoining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has seen a surprising twist. Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Samrat Choudhary has refuted speculations about Nitish Kumar rejoining the NDA, that he left in 2022, asserting that the party’s high command has “no clue” about such developments.
Despite this, sources have reported that Nitish Kumar has sought time to meet the Governor in the first half today. It is speculated that Nitish Kumar will sack ministers belonging to alliance partner and Lalu Yadav’s party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to replace them with the BJP legislators. As the Bihar political crisis continues to unfold with intricate twists and turns, here are 10 latest updates on the current development threatening the INDIA unity. Bihar politics news LIVE updates
BIHAR POLITICAL CRISIS: 10 LATEST UPDATES
- While Nitish Kumar has maintained silence over the recent developments in Bihar, he will reportedly resign as the chief minister today, Sunday, to dump the Mahagathbandhan from the government.
- Nitish Kumar is “likely to address a meeting of JD(U) legislators around 10 a.m. Sunday before going to Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation”.
- Formation of a new government in Bihar is likely to happen in the evening with the BJP support. Nitish Kumar is also likely to sack all the RJD ministers, replacing them with ministers from the saffron party.
- Several NDA leaders including former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi have indicated an alliance breakdown between JD(U)-RJD. Also Read | Is INDIA bloc splitting? Here what JD(U) advises Cong to keep alliance running
- Earlier on Saturday, BJP leader and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey participated in the foundation laying ceremony of development works with CM Nitish Kumar, deepening the speculation that an alliance between the two parties might be underway.
- Ahead of the big day in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders huddled at Rabri Devi’s residence in Patna where Nitish Kumar’s deputy Tejashwi Yadav hinted at many unexpected developments in the state. “Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hain’ [The game is yet to begin in Bihar]” Tejashwi reportedly told the RJD leaders.
- On why Nitish Kumar was rejoining the NDA camp, sources have claimed that January 12 meeting with the INDIA bloc was the last nail in the alliance coffin. At the meeting, while some party leaders, including Lalu Prasad Yadav and Sitaram Yechury, suggested Nitish Kumar’s name as INDIA convenor, Rahul Gandhi interjected, saying a decision on this should wait as Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal had suggested Mallikarjun Kharge’s name.
- Notably, the BJP held a state executive committee meeting in Bihar’s Patna amid the speculations of Nitish Kumar joining the NDA. A meeting was also held at Amit Shah’s residence in New Delhi.
- RJD is the largest alliance partner in the ‘Mahagathbandhan,’ which includes Congress and three Left parties and falls eight members short of a majority in the assembly in the event of Kumar’s JD(U) pulling out.
- If Nitish Kumar crosses over to the NDA, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides – between Congress, BJP and RJD – that has also earned him a moniker “’Paltu Ram”. Nitish Kumar deserted the BJP from the alliance government in 2022 to join hands with the Congress and RJD.
(With agency inputs)
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Published: 28 Jan 2024, 07:44 AM IST