'Mallikarjun Kharge tried to talk to CM Nitish Kumar but...': Jairam Ramesh amid political uncertainty in Bihar

Amidst a political whirlwind in Bihar, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had made multiple attempts to communicate with the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. Despite these efforts, Nitish Kumar was preoccupied and unable to engage in discussions.

The remark is made amidst speculation that Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) might align with the BJP once more, a move perceived as a significant setback for the INDIA bloc leading up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

"I can formally say that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tried to talk to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar not just once but several times. However, the Bihar CM is busy," Jairam Ramesh told ANI.

"Some statements are coming from Bihar that a new council of ministers will be formed there. Congress is sending former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel to Bihar as a senior observer. As far as I know, Baghel Ji will reach Patna tonight," Ramesh said.

"I would like to remind people that the first meeting of the Opposition leaders took place in Patna, on June 23, 2023. Bihar chief minister was the host of the meeting. The second meeting took place in Bengaluru where the bloc got its INDIA name. Nitish Kumar's role in that meeting was very significant," Jairam Ramesh said.

The current political climate in Bihar is marked by a potential shift in alliances, with reports suggesting that Nitish Kumar may break away from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to rejoin forces with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move mirrors the events of the 2020 elections and suggests a reshuffling of the Bihar cabinet, replacing RJD ministers with BJP MLAs.

Meanwhile, sources told India Today that CM Nitish Kumar is likely to step down on Saturday, with several Congress MLAs accompanying him. Speculation is high about Kumar's potential departure from the Mahagathbandhan government, aligning once more with the BJP-led NDA coalition. The RJD is actively working to gather support and portray a resilient stance, strategizing for scenarios where they might be unable to prevent Nitish Kumar's return as Chief Minister.

Addressing the political situation in Bihar, BJP veteran Sushil Modi on Friday said that closed doors can open, emphasizing the fluid nature of politics as a game of possibilities. While he refrained from providing extensive details on the matter, the strained relationship between JD(U) and RJD escalated, particularly after Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya criticised Nitish Kumar for his 'dynasty politics' remark on January 25. Subsequently, she deleted her cryptic tweets.

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