After Nitish Kumar resigns as CM, BJP hints at NDA govt formation in Bihar

JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar with BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde, Bihar BJP President Samrat Choudhary, BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha and others meets Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar. Pic/PTI

Following Nitish Kumar's resignation from the post of Chief Minister, bringing an end to the 'Mahagathbandhan' rule in Bihar, Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will not allow Jungle Raj to return, indicating the formation of Nationalist Democratic Alliance-led government in the state.

The senior BJP leader thanked Nitish Kumar for severing ties with Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal.

"I thank Nitish Kumar for resigning. I would only say to the people of Bihar that the BJP kept fighting against Jungle Raj till 2005. We kept making sacrifices and even at that time, on the strength of our organization, we projected Nitish Kumar for the post of Chief Minister only to get freedom from Jungle Raj. I was scared because of the way Lalu Yadav was pressuring Nitish Kumar. If this had not happened then Jungle Raj would have come again to Bihar. Now BJP will not allow Jungle Raj to return," Singh said while speaking to reporters here.

Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) national president Nitish Kumar handed over his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Sunday.

Calling on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Nitish told him, "We have decided to sever ties with the Mahagathbandhan in the state".

The development comes amid a deafening buzz that Nitish would rejoin the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), bringing an end to the 'Mahagathbandhan' rule in the state.

The fast-changing political events in the state were triggered by a social media post from former CM and RJD chief Lalu Yadav's daughter, Rohini Acharya, in which she took a swipe at the JD(U) saying that while the 'socialist party' styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns.

If Nitish crosses over, it would mark the fourth time that he would be switching sides.

In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP at 78; JD(U) at 45, Congress at 19, the CPI (M-L) at 12, CPI(M) and CPI at 2 each, and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)'s at 4. Another two seats are with the AIMIM and an Independent.

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