Bihar Politics highlights: ‘We will stay together,’ says Nitish after returning to NDA

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: The upcoming Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is expected to feature two deputy chief ministers, as per sources cited by news agency ANI. Samrat Choudhary, chosen as the leader of the BJP legislative party in Bihar on Sunday, and Vijay Kumar Sinha, elected as its deputy leader, are likely to assume the roles of deputy chief ministers in the new administration. Read more about them

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: In August 2022, Nitish Kumar joined the Mahagathbandhan, breaking ties with the BJP, citing accusations of attempting to divide his JD(U). He established a new government through a diverse coalition, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal led by Lalu Prasad Yadav/Tejashwi Yadav, Congress, and three Left parties.

Previously the senior partner in Bihar's NDA, the JD(U) witnessed a decline, lagging behind its junior ally, the BJP. Nitish Kumar grew dissatisfied with the BJP, holding them responsible for the significant decrease in his party's assembly seats from 71 in 2015 to 43 in 2020, while the BJP's count rose from 53 to 74, becoming the second-largest party after RJD's 75.

Reportedly, Nitish Kumar attributed the BJP for influencing Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan to field candidates in nearly all constituencies where JD(U) was contesting. Read full story here

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Political strategist Prashant Kishor made some strong comments about Nitish Kumar on Sunday, his political mentor turned bete noire, as Bihar is all set to witness a new government with Nitish becoming the chief minister with the help of the BJP. Describing Nitish Kumar as a cunning individual deceiving the people of Bihar, Prashant Kishor stated that his alliance with the BJP would not endure until the next Bihar assembly election, scheduled for 2025. Read full story here

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Rohini Acharya, the daughter of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad, on Sunday took a dig at Nitish Kumar, seemingly referring to him as ‘garbage’. She posted a tweet that said: "Garbage goes back into the dustbin. Congratulations to the dustbin for getting the stinkiest garbage." Read more

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Sunday, Nitish Kumar-led JD (U) attributed the disintegration of the INDIA bloc in Bihar to the Congress, alleging that its leaders focused on fortifying their party rather than supporting the opposition alliance, PTI reported.

K C Tyagi, the Janata Dal (United) spokesperson, informed the media that a faction within the Congress aimed to take control of the INDIA bloc leadership. He claimed that Mallikarjun Kharge's name was put forward as the chairperson in a calculated plot. The JD(U) expressed surprise at the decision regarding Kharge during the INDIA bloc meeting, asserting that they had expected their president and Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, to be named the convenor without being burdened with the chairperson role, as per their initial understanding.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Commenting on Nitish Kumar's departure from the Bihar Mahagathbandhan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday for luring four AIMIM MLAs to join his RJD party in 2022. Owaisi remarked that Tejashwi Yadav "is experiencing what he put us through." Read more

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Nitish Kumar's return to BJP-led NDA says, “If you look back at my remarks over the past one year, then you would find out that I was the only person who on camera said that Nitish Kumar can change his side anytime. People already know that Nitish Kumar is a 'palturam' and 'sardar of palturams'. However, today's incident has shown that all politicians in Bihar are also ‘palturam’.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) exiting Opposition bloc INDIA and joining NDA, Congress leader Pawan Khera says, "Someone who has to leave has to say something or the other. It is not easy to live with one's conscience after taking such a step. If you are doing this for the 9th time, the conscience probably left you long back. He can say whatever he wants...Nitish Kumar could have had his name registered in history in a good manner but think about what situation he has brought himself in. He is becoming a subject of mockery in every household. Now, it is his desire if he wants to be a subject of mockery."

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar resigning as the chief minister of Bihar and returning to BJP-led NDA, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party MP Prince Raj says, "We welcome Nitish Kumar, and also congratulate the people of Bihar... The law and order situation in Bihar had deteriorated under the 'mahagathbandhan' government and 'jungle raj 2.0' could be seen... The situation that changed in Bihar was because of miscommunication and misunderstanding... Better late than never, things have been sorted out..."

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: After Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) broke ties with RJD in Bihar, BJP leader Nitin Navin says, “He (Tejashwi Yadav) only thought about his family and party and kept the youth of Bihar unemployed...The oath ceremony will be held today at 5 pm.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: TMC on Sunday strongly criticised Nitish Kumar, the president of JD(U), for his “frequent political somersaults” following his departure from the 'Mahagathbandhan' in Bihar, PTI reported. The TMC asserted that the public will respond appropriately to such "opportunism."

Earlier in the day, Kumar resigned as Bihar chief minister, citing that "things were not working well" for him within the 'Mahagathbandhan' he had joined less than 18 months ago and in the opposition bloc INDIA.

"Nitish Kumar is known for his political somersaults at regular intervals. It is unfortunate that he has decided to quit the opposition grouping INDIA and is likely to join the NDA. The people will give a befitting reply to such political opportunism," Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy said.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: In anticipation of the new government forming in Bihar, which will include leaders from the BJP and Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar says, “We are going to form a new government with BJP and HAM. For those who were claiming that it wouldn't be easy this time - we submitted a letter of support by 128 MLAs, at the Raj Bhavan. CM will be sworn in as a 9th-time CM...We made this decision due to the absence of seriousness in INDIA Alliance...INDIA Alliance has died an untimely death in politics. Their story is finished.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Nitish Kumar exiting the INDIA bloc says, “Nitish Kumar's resignation as Bihar CM is not surprising. He is an experienced leader, but he keeps changing his political colour. People of Bihar will give him and his masters in Delhi a befitting reply.”

Ramesh was addressing a press conference as Nitish Kumar is set to retake oath as the chief minister of Bihar, along with his potential new deputy chief ministers from the BJP, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: DMK leader Saravanan Annadurai on Nitish Kumar resigning as Bihar chief minister says, “Nitish Kumar was one of the constituents of the INDIA alliance, but he was not a major stakeholder. Probably, he was a big figure in terms of personality but after what he has done now, his personality has... I don't know how the people of Bihar will accept it that he has joined the BJP.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar joining BJP-led NDA and breaking ties with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), RJD leader Mukesh Kumar Yadav says, “We have faith in our leader and we will follow him. We will go among the public.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Following Nitish Kumar's resignation as Bihar chief minister and his departure from the ruling Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc, JD(U) KC Tyagi alleged on Sunday that the “Congress aims to seize and claim the leadership of the Opposition alliance,” ANI reported. The alliance, comprising 28 Opposition forces nationwide, was established with the shared goal of thwarting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Vijay Sinha, deputy leader of Bihar BJP legislative party, who is likely to take oath as deputy CM today says, "We are determined to re-establish good governance by giving a farewell to RJD."

On JD(U) joining NDA and Nitish Kumar set to take oath as Bihar CM again, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan says, "...I will attend the oath ceremony today as an NDA ally. It is a matter of joy that NDA is coming to power in Bihar...We too have a vision of 'Bihar First, Bihari First'. I have said earlier too that I have had policy-based differences with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and I still have those differences. If the work continues as per his policies, the differences will probably continue in the time to come. I have always believed that his policies have not facilitated development in Bihar..."

On Nitish Kumar and JD(U) joining NDA, Congress leader Tariq Anwar says, "We have faced such challenges several times. The Opposition is strong here. RJD, Congress and Left will face this challenge together and I think people of Bihar won't forgive Nitish Kumar this time. People of Bihar are being toyed with. They are being mocked. Bihar's image has suffered a blow..."

INDIA bloc parties mounted a scathing attack on Bihar’s ex-Chief minister Nitish Kumar, after he tendered his resignation on Sunday, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge claiming that he already knew this was coming and underlining that political turncoats like Kumar keep coming and going.

“This information was already given to us by Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav that he would leave. Today that came true. If he wanted to stay, he would have stayed but he wants to go. That’s why we already knew this, but to keep the India Alliance intact, if we say something wrong, a wrong message will be sent….In this country there are a lot of ‘aaya ram gaya ram’ type people,” Kharge said.

Kumar tendered his resignation from the post of Bihar CM to Governor Rajendra Arlekar and informed the later about his decision to sever ties with the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, citing bad relations with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.. This is his fifth turnaround since November 2005.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh too echoed Kharge’s statement and said that it was ‘not-surprising’ at all while jibing that Kumar had changed parties so many times, that he could give a touch challenge to chameleons.

Swearing-in at 5 pm today, Nitish to take oath as CM along with deputies Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, says ANI.

Nitish Kumar to be Bihar CM for the 9th time - 6 times with support of BJP and thrice with RJD.

Month & Year Support

March 2000 BJP

Nov 2005 BJP

Nov 2010 BJP

Feb 2015 RJD

Nov 2015 RJD

July 2017 BJP

Nov 2020 BJP

Aug 2022 RJD

Jan 2024 BJP

On Nitish Kumar joining NDA, Union Minister and BJP MP Nityanand Rai says, "Today is an important day for Bihar... Now Bihar will move forward on the path of development and we will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats of Bihar and PM Modi will be elected PM for the third time."