India Elections 2024: Nitish Kumar keeps Bihar politics on tenterhooks; RJD, Congress react to crisis

Months ahead of the general elections in India, political turmoil intensified in the Indian state of Bihar on Saturday (Jan 27) amid media reports suggesting that state chief minister Nitish Kumar is about to leave the JD(U)-RJD-Congress Grand Alliance and will again join the BJP-led NDA alliance.

As per a few media reports, the JD(U) chief, who has many times oscillated between political parties RJD and BJP, can also form a new government with BJP on Sunday (Jan 28) and take oath for his 9th term as the chief minister.

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav says 'game yet to begin'

Meanwhile, JD(U)'s ally Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav told the party leaders in a meeting that Nitish Kumar is "respectable" but there were a lot of factors which were not under his "control."

As per media reports, Yadav said, "CM Nitish Kumar was and is respectable. Many things are not under his (Nitish Kumar) control. RJD's allies in the 'Mahagathbandhan' always respected the Chief Minister....”

As per media reports, Tejashwi Yadav also hinted at other unexpected developments in the state.

"The Chief Minister used to sit with me on the stage and ask, "What was there in Bihar before 2005?" I never reacted... Now, more people are with us. Whatever remained undone in two decades, we managed to get it done within a short time- be it jobs, caste census, increasing reservation, etc. 'Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hai' (The game is yet to begin in Bihar),” said Yadav, as per media reports.

In the 'Mahagathbandhan', which includes the opposition Congress and three Left parties, the RJD is the largest alliance partner and if Kumar's JD(U) pulls out, the alliance will fall short of eight members for a majority in the assembly.

Congress tries to avert crisis

Congress president M Mallikarjun Kharge said that all efforts are being made by his party to keep the INDIA bloc united. However, he added that he has no knowledge of what is in the mind of JD(U) leadership.

"I don't have information on Janata Dal (United) leaving the alliance. I have written a letter to them. Tried to speak to them. But don't know what's on Nitish Kumar's mind," said Kharge, while speaking to the reporters.

"Tomorrow I'll go to Delhi and take full information. Let's see what will happen. We don't have information that Nitish will resign. He hasn't told us about meeting Governor. I don't have information so can't tell you authentic. Let's see what happens," he said.

Watch:The saga of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's many U-turns

The Congress president said, "We are trying our best to make everyone unite together. I've spoken to Mamata (Banerjee) and Nitish and (Sitaram) Yechury to be united. Told them we need to be united only then we can give a good fight. India alliance will work well and democracy should be saved, whoever wants this won't take a hasty decision is what I feel.”

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi says Nitish 'misunderstood'

Meanwhile, senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said that the INDIA bloc has been facing issues in different states because of Congress and added that the Mahagathbandhan is all set to collapse.

"The INDIA bloc is on the verge of collapse. The alliance of INDIA bloc parties is almost over in Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar," said Tyagi, as quoted by ANI.

"The goal and intentions with which Kumar, the JD(U) president, succeeded in bringing non-Congress parties with the Congress have come unstuck," he added, asserting that the leader was "misunderstood".

"Kumar never hankered after a position in the alliance but a section of the Congress leadership repeatedly insulted him," Tyagi said.

(With inputs from agencies)