Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar tendered his resignation to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday, splitting away from the grand alliance less than 18 months after forming a new government in the state with the support of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s RJD.
Nitish Kumar, the national president of the Janata Dal (United) and the chief minister of Bihar, presented Governor Rajendra Arlekar with his resignation on Sunday at the Raj Bhavan in Patna.
Calling on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Nitish told him, “We have decided to sever ties with the Mahagathbandhan in the state”.
The development coincides with an overwhelming rumor that Nitish will re-join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, ending the “Mahagathbandhan” era in the state. The rapidly evolving political landscape in the state was set off by a social media post made by Rohini Acharya, the daughter of former chief minister and RJD chief Lalu Yadav. In the post, she criticised the JD(U) and stated that although the’socialist party’ presents itself as progressive, its policies change in tandem with the wind.
If Nitish crosses over, it would mark the fourth time that he would be switching sides.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP at 78; JD(U) at 45, Congress at 19, the CPI (M-L) at 12, CPI(M) and CPI at 2 each, and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s at 4. Another two seats are with the AIMIM and an Independent.
Rohini Acharya had earlier declared in a new post that she would fight “communal forces” until the day she dies.
“Our fight against the communal forces will continue till our last breath,” she posted on X.
