20 Years With NDA, 4 Yrs With Mahagathbandhan: Nitish To Reunite With BJP? A Look At His Political U-turns

Simmering tensions between the ruling coalition partners in Bihar have resurfaced, possibly hinting at a big change in the state political equation again with only a few months left for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Top leaders of the JD(U) on Saturday rushed to the residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party president, amid strong indications that he was planning to quit the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan.’

As per sources, Nitish Kumar is likely to resign from his post as Bihar’s Chief Minister on Saturday and will take oath tomorrow.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Yadav’s meeting with his party leaders in Patna, the BJP high command asking its leaders from Bihar to reach Delhi and BJP leader Sushil Modi’s praise for Nitish Kumar for his attack on dynasty politics, have fuelled speculations of a possible alliance between the BJP and Janata Dal (U) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Kumar, who was dubbed “Paltu Babu” and “Paltu Kumar” by BJP leaders after he dumped the party in 2022 to join the Mahagathbandhan, recently praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for honouring former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur with Bharat Ratna.

Sushil Modi, who served as Kumar’s deputy for several years in Bihar, said the state unit of BJP would not have any problem if the top leadership decides to go with the Janata Dal (U) chief.

“Nitish Kumar spoke openly on dynasty politics. The Bihar BJP with the Centre’s decision. We will accept the decision of the central leadership,” the BJP leader told CNN-News18.

As per sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a meeting with Bihar BJP leaders. BJP President JP Nadda has also postponed his Kerala tour amid political developments in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar, who has been the Chief Minister of Bihar since 2005, except for a period of eight months in 2014-15, also held a meeting with Bihar JDU President Umesh Kushwaha and other party leaders including Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh on Thursday.

It may be noted that the BJP and its allies JDU and LJP swept 39 parliamentary seats out of 40 in Bihar in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the alliance returned to power with a majority in 2020 state assembly polls.

A look at Nitish Kumar’s political career in Bihar Politics

1985: Nitish Kumar elected to the Bihar Assembly

1998: Nitish Kumar forged alliance with BJP and served in the NDA government under AB Vajpayee in various capacities as the Railway and Agriculture Minister

2000: With BJP’s help Nitish Kumar became the Chief Minister for the first time on March 3, 2000. However, he resigned after seven days before the vote of confidence in the Assembly as he did not have the majority.

2003: The Samata Party merged with Janata Dal and Nitish Kumar was elected as the chief.

2005: The JDU-BJP alliance crossed the majority mark in state assembly elections. Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the second time.

2013: Nitish Kumar broke ties with the BJP after Narendra Modi was appointed as the Chairman of BJP’s Lok Sabha election campaign committee.

2014: Nitish Kumar resigned from the CM post, taking moral responsibility of the JDU’s defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The JD(U) got only two Lok Sabha seats out of 40 in Bihar.

2015: Nitish Kumar joined hands with his former ally Lalu Prasad and formed a grand alliance with the Congress. The alliance swept the 2015 assembly elections.

2017: After two years in the Mahagathbandhan, Kumar took another U-Turn and dumped Mahagathbandhan to form the government in Bihar.

2022: Nitish Kumar dumped the BJP again to form the government with Mahagathbandhan.