PATNA: Bihar is on the brink of a political turmoil as speculations over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s U-turn is buzzing all over the place.
The Bihar CM, who is currently allied with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress in Mahagathbandhan, might be contemplating another switch of allegiances ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
His potential resignation is expected to be accompanied by several Congress MLA’s who are likely to follow suit in this stunning political move.
Although not confirmed, Kumar could again re-align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), his former ally, in the state to form a government.
This significant political development comes in the backdrop of Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar’s deputy Chief Minister, raising eyebrows on January 26 by not attending the Governor’s high tea ceremony in response to reports suggesting that the Bihar CM could flip again.
Moreover, other senior leaders from the RJD also skipped the event, indicating what seems like a potential friction within the ruling coalition.
The latest turn of events have sparked a flurry of activities in the state’s political landscape. The major political players are attempting to stitch together the numbers required to form the government.
As per reports, the crucial turning point unfolded during the INDIA alliance meeting on January 13. CPM leader Sitaram Yechury had proposed Nitish Kumar as the Convenor of the bloc during the meeting, a suggestion that received widespread approvals from leaders, including Lalu Yadav and Sharad Pawar.
However, Rahul Gandhi intervened and expressed the need to alter the decision. This apparently did not go down well with the Bihar CM who felt that Rahul humiliated him during the meeting by being reluctant about his candidacy.
This is a huge setback to the already shaky INDIA alliance and will further weaken their prospect of putting up a formidable united front against the mighty BJP juggernaut in the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections.
Meanwhile, Bihar BJP stalwart Sushil Kumar Modi has responded to the speculations by cryptically commenting that the party’s “doors are always open,” thereby fuelling further speculation.
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