PATNA: Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar’s resignation came as deja vu as the JD(U), in the past also, had dumped Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join the family-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Nitish Kumar has taken multiple U-turns in the past. In 2015, Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) broke the alliance with BJP and joined hands with RJD and Congress. The Mahagathbandhan of JD(U)-RJD-Congress won the 2015 election. Kumar returned as Chief Minister and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav became the deputy chief minister. However, the Mahagathbandhan collapsed in the year 2017 and Nitish Kumar got reunited with the BJP.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kumar resigned, breaking his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). After tendering his resignation, Nitish Kumar left the Raj Bhavan and arrived at the residence of Rabri Devi in Patna.
Kumar said that all party MPs and MLAs are in consensus that they should leave the BJP-led NDA alliance. Caretaker Chief Minister Kumar said, “All MPs and MLAs reached a consensus that we should leave the NDA. Soon after, I resigned as Bihar CM.”
“All the meetings with the MPs, MLAs and MLCs of both the Houses were held today. Everyone’s wish was that we should leave NDA. So as everyone wished, we accepted the same and submitted the resignation from the post of the Chief Minister in the NDA government,” he added.
Kumar, earlier in the day, held a meeting with JD(U) leaders to discuss his next political moves. He then sought time from Governor Phagu Chauhan.
Around 4 pm, Kumar arrived at Raj Bhavan and met Governor Phagu Chauhan and apprised him of his decision to quit as Chief Minister. (ANI)