Bihar, India

Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar, Nitish Kumar stepped down from the top post and severed ties with the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) on Sunday (Jan 28). Subsequently, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Vinod Tawde said a BJP-NDA government would be formed in the state in alliance with the Janata Dal (United). 

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BJP’s Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha to be deputy CMs?

Earlier on Sunday, Kumar held a meeting of JD(U) leaders at his official residence in state capital Patna and announced that he had asked the governor to dissolve the government in the state. 

WATCH | Bihar: Opposition I.N.D.I.A alliance falls apart as Nitish Kumar switches over

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Kumar also said he would form government with the BJP at 5:00 pm (local time). Meanwhile, during the legislative party meeting, JD-U MLAs unanimously passed the proposal to form the government in alliance with BJP, and other NDA allies. 

BJP’s Samrat Chaudhary has been elected as the leader of the legislative party, while Vijay Sinha, who was Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly, has been elected as the deputy leader. 

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“Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha have been elected as leader and deputy leader of the legislative party, respectively. Most certainly, they will be our deputy CMs,” BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy CM, Tarkishore Prasad told reporters, as quoted by PTI. 

ALSO READ | JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar quits Grand Alliance in Bihar, will form new state govt with BJP

Later, Bihar BJP spokesperson Sumit Shashank said, “Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha to be the Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar.” 

This comes as several media reports citing officials said Choudhary and Sinha will be named as deputy CMs while Kumar will again be the chief minister. 

Setback for opposition’s INDIA alliance

Kumar’s resignation is being seen as a major setback for the opposition INDIA alliance that wanted to put up a strong fight against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming general elections.

ALSO READ | Trouble in INDIA paradise? Bihar CM Nitish Kumar may return to BJP-led NDA fold: Reports

The resignation also comes after several media reports said Kumar was miffed with the opposition INDIA bloc, especially the Congress Party for being indecisive in the seat-sharing arrangement in other states. 

Nitish's decision to dump the Grand Alliance came days after he was named the Janata Dal (United) national president after MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh quit the post, ending days of speculation amid reports of a rift and the latter's alleged growing inclination towards RJD.

Bihar’s political shake-up also comes days after Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), a key player in the national alliance against the BJP, declared its intent to go solo in the Indian state of West Bengal and fight on all the 42 Lok Sabha seats alone in the 2024 elections. 

Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party has announced that it plans to contest Punjab and Haryana elections alone, without any seat sharing with other opposition parties.

(With inputs from agencies)