In a major setback for the INDIA bloc, Nitish Kumar has resigned as Chief Minister, bringing down the JDU-RJD government in Bihar. He will now form a government with the BJP later at 5 pm. A moment after Nitish resigned, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said he was told about Nitish's possible move by Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Yadav. Kharge said he knew this was going to happen but did not do anything to keep the alliance intact.
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Earlier today, Nitish Kumar held a party meeting and then headed to meet the Bihar Governor. He told the Governor that the JDU has decided to sever ties with the mahagathbandhan in the state. When asked why he had to break the existing alliance, Nitish said: "Theek nahi chal rha tha (it was not going alright)."
Kumar said he was seeking views from party leaders and had accepted their opinion, suggesting that it was party leaders' opinion that JDU should form the government with BJP. "Today, I have resigned as the Chief Minister and I have also told the Governor to dissolve the government in the state. This situation came because not everything was alright. I was getting views from everyone. I listened to all of them. Today, the Government has been dissolved," he said while speaking to reporters after stepping down as CM.
The JDU, which has 45 MLAs, will form the government with BJP and Jitan Ram Mandji's HAM. The BJP has 78 MLAs, while the HAM has 4.
Speaking on the political situation ahead of Nitish's resignation, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh said the JDU chief called the first meeting of 18 opposition parties in Patna. "Nitish Kumar played a prominent role in all three meetings, so we were considering Nitish Kumar to fight the BJP and its ideology till the very end," he said.
Ramesh maintained that the INDIA alliance is strong. "There are a few speed breakers here and there. But we will unitedly fight against the BJP... All parties- DMK, NCP, TMC, and SP will fight together."
NItish's return to the NDA will be a major setback for the opposition, which came together to stop BJP's juggernaut. However, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has already announced that she will not have any alliance with Congress in Bengal, AAP declared that it will contest all 13 seats in Punjab.
After Nitish broke the alliance with RJD, Jairam Ramesh attacked the former Bihar chief minister and called him 'chameleon'. Ramesh also said that the people of Bihar will not forgive the "experts of this betrayal". "Nitish Kumar, who frequently changes political partners, is giving tough competition to the chameleons in changing colours. The people of Bihar will not forgive the experts of this betrayal and those who made them dance on their tune."