Bihar crisis: Nitish Kumar seeks time to meet Governor amid reports of resignation
Bihar (Patna), January 28
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to meet the Governor today, say sources.
Kumar has reportedly sought time to meet the Governor this morning and is likely to break away from the Mahagathbandhan government, say sources.
Although the Bihar CM is mum over his next move, the speculation of a rift between Mahagathbandhan and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar joining the NDA has been soaring.
Notably, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is holding a meeting with its MLAs and MPs in Patna today to chalk out the strategy over the latest political situation in the state.
The ruling JD(U)-RJD-Congress coalition in Bihar is on the brink of collapse, as there is likelihood that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could cross over to the NDA again, the alliance he parted his ways in 2022 to form the ‘Mahagathbandhan’.
The BJP has the largest number of 17 MPs in Bihar, where the total number of Lok Sabha members is 40. The JD(U), headed by Nitish Kumar, has 16 while another NDA ally LJP, now split up between the uncle-nephew duo of Pashupati Kumar Paras and Chirag Paswan, has six.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP’s 78; the JD(U)’s 45′ the Congress’s 19, the CPI (M-L)’s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s four seats, and the AIMIM’s one, plus one Independent legislator.
If Nitish crosses over, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides.
However, the Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary set it aside, stating that the party’s high command has “no clue” about it.
“Neither has Nitish Kumarji resigned nor has anybody withdrawn support. Only if something happens, then we will have any information. At present, the BJP wants to assess the situation of Bihar and then, we will make a decision accordingly,” Chaudhary said while speaking to reporters in Bihar’s Patna.
“We will get informed only if Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives information regarding the same,” he added.
