On Tuesday, leaders of Janata Dal United had hinted at a major development and there was no need of guessing that they are pointing at a split.
Patna: Day after dumping the alliance with BJP, Nitish Kumar took oath as the Bihar Chief Minister for the record eight time. While six times he took help from BJP to become the Chief Minister, he was twice helped by Rashtriya Janata Dal, including this time.
In his address, Kumar said, “I did not want to be the Chief Minister after the 2020 election results but I was put under pressure…ask the people in the party what have they been reduced to…I have not even spoken to you in two months.”
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On Tuesday, leaders of Janata Dal United had hinted at a major development and there was no need of guessing that they are pointing at a split. Moments later Nitish Kumar reached Governor Phagu Chauhan’s residence and resigned from the post of Chief Minister.
He then spoke to the media and within an hour returned to meet Chauhan once again, this time along with Tejashwi Yadav, to inform the governor that the Mahagathbandhan is all set to form the next government.
On the oath-taking, RJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha on Wednesday said, “It’s not only a government that will take oath, it is a ‘ghar wapasi’ of the 2017-2020 mandate. It’s very important, especially in an era where BJP has decided to mangle democratic values, that only they would remain. Bihar gave a message. It’s an oath of people of Bihar.”
Later, replying to questions from the media, Tejashwi agreed that his party had attacked JDU and Nitish Kumar innumerable times but things have changed and they are looking at the progress of Bihar now.
Although Janata Dal United has fewer seats than the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Kumar reportedly asked to be named the Chief Minister, an understanding, sources said, already discussed before the initiation of Mahagathbandhan 2.0.
The BJP has accused Nitish Kumar of “betraying the mandate of the people” by dumping a partner mid-term. However, this is not time Nitish Kumar has ditched an ally mid-term. Earlier, his party had broken the alliance with JDU and joined hands with BJP barely two years after winning the state election under the Mahagathbandhan banner.