Bihar CM Nitish Kumar at Governor’s function, Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav skips event

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday arrived at Raj Bhavan in Patna to attend Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s ‘At Home’ reception event.

Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader, skipped the event while RJD leader Alok Mehta, a cabinet minister, was present at the event.

The ‘At Home’ ceremony at Raj Bhavan serves as an occasion for dignitaries from various walks of life to come together and strengthen ties, celebrating unity and collaboration.

#WATCH | Bihar Minister and RJD leader Alok Kumar Mehta arrives at Raj Bhavan, in Patna to attend the official event here. #RepublicDay2024 pic.twitter.com/wsADASrkB4

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2024

Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar unfurled the national flag at his residence in Patna, on the occasion of the 75th Republic Day.

Currently, the ruling JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar is on the verge of collapse over the speculation that Nitish Kumar could cross over to the NDA again.

Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD) president Upendra Kushwaha on Friday took a jibe at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying that even if the latter leaves the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), what is the guarantee that he would stay with the Bharatiya Janata Party after the Lok Sabha elections.

#WATCH | Bihar LoP and BJP MLA Vijay Kumar Sinha interacts with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar at the official event in Raj Bhavan, Patna

Till now, no RJD leader has arrived at the event. pic.twitter.com/wdTdmEbSbe

— ANI (@ANI) January 26, 2024

The former ally of the Bihar Chief Minister said that it is true Kumar is considering leaving his current alliance. “There is talk that he may join the NDA alliance. It is true that CM Nitish Kumar is considering leaving the (INDIA alliance). If he joins the NDA, the big question is whether he will stay with the NDA after the elections or not… What is the guarantee that he will not leave the NDA alliance after the Lok Sabha elections”, Kushwaha said.

“A change is certain. It is a matter of a short time now. In the BJP yesterday, the party has also taken a decision. Nitish ji is also ready. PM Modi also likes Nitish ji. NDA will win all 40 seats in Bihar if Nitish ji joins us….I think everything will get sorted in two days. There will be an NDA government in Bihar”, BJP MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu said.

Earlier, Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya took a swipe at RJD’s ruling ally, JDU, on X posting that while the ‘socialist party’ (JDU) styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns, a statement which triggered cracks within the ruling alliance. However, a few hours later, all three posts by Lalu’s daughter were deleted.

On Wednesday, on the occasion of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur’s birth centenary celebrations, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched a scathing attack on Congress saying, “Karpoori Thakur never promoted his family. Taking inspiration from him, I too have never promoted any member of my family. But today, people are promoting dynastic politics”.

Giving more weight to the possible entry of Nitish Kumar into NDA, Bharatiya Janata Party MP and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday said that doors are never closed “permanently” in politics.

“In yesterday’s meeting, strategies for (the upcoming) Lok Sabha elections were discussed. But as far as Nitish Kumar and JD(U) are concerned, doors are never closed permanently in politics. Now our central leadership will decide whether the door will open or not”, Sushil Modi told reporters before returning to Patna.

Sushil Modi was Deputy Chief Minister in the NDA government in Bihar in 2022, before Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar severed ties with the ally BJP and partnered with the RJD and the Congress again.(ANI)