New Delhi
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might be pivoting towards the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), if the chatter coming from the eastern state is to be believed. The Janata Dal United (JDU) chief is miffed with the opposition INDIA bloc, especially the Congress Party for being indecisive in the seat-sharing arrangement in other states.
According to multiple media reports, Kumar is of the view that the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' started by Rahul Gandhi will only benefit Congress and not the INDIA bloc. Previously, reports claimed that Kumar was also not happy with the bloc not projecting him as the PM face.
Additionally, there are murmurs that all is not well within the alliance with Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) at the state level. Kumar took a subtle dig at Lalu Yadav's party by calling out dynastic politics during an event linked to Karpoori Thankur, the new Bharat Ratna recipient.
After Kumar's comment, Lalu's daughter Rohini Acharya wrote a Hindi couplet, allegedly taking a dig at the chief minister.
"Those who claim to be socialist change their ideology like wind; what is the point when the problem is with self. There is no reason to get dejected as the inevitable will happen. Often some people are unable to see their own deficiencies but throw mud at others," her post read.
Consequently, both Kumar and the state’s deputy chief minister (and Lalu Prasad’s son) Tejashwi Yadav held separate meetings on Thursday (Jan 25) to perhaps chart the road ahead when the allies part ways.
If Kumar does return to the NDA fold, it won't be the first time he has flipped on his stance. In 2013, before Narendra Modi was announced as the PM candidate, an angry Kumar left the alliance, only to return in 2017 before breaking up again in 2022.
According to reports, Kumar is planning to go public with the BJP in the next few days, with some claiming that the oath-taking ceremony will take place on January 28. BJP leader Sushil Modi is expected to take oath as the deputy CM.
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INDIA bloc shaking
Earlier this week, the Mamata-led Trinamool Congress (TMC), a key player in the national alliance against the BJP, declared its intent to go solo in Bengal and fight on all the 42 Lok Sabha seats alone in the 2024 elections.
"I had no discussions with the Congress. I have always said that in Bengal, we will fight alone. I gave them (the Congress) many proposals... but they rejected them. I am not concerned about what will be done in the (rest of the) country... but we are a secular party and, in Bengal, we alone will defeat BJP."
The INDIA bloc had been forged after much effort to thwart the winning run of the BJP at the Centre. However, with TMC not honouring the alliance's dogma and JDU looking to move on, it appears highly unlikely that the opposition bloc will survive the aftermath.
(With inputs from agencies)