Bihar CM Nitish Kumar could be back in NDA fold by Monday

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar could be back in NDA fold by Monday

PATNA: BJP is poised to make a re-entry into the Nitish Kumar government through Bihar politics’ revolving door by Monday, using the 2020 template of the JD(U) patriarch staying CM with two deputies from the saffron party.

JD(U) MLAs and MPs will meet at CM’s residence on Sunday and a new government may take shape the same evening or on Monday.

BJP MP and former dy CM Sushil Kumar Modi said, “Regarding Nitish Kumar and JD(U), doors are never closed permanently in politics. Our central leadership will decide. The state unit abides by its decision.”

BJP, RJD and Congress have called their legislature party meetings on Saturday even as RJD spokesperson Manoj Jha urged Nitish to clear his stand on the “prevailing confusion”. JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar retorted, “Nitish is never in confusion and plays politics on the front foot. If someone is confused, it is his problem. We are clear.”

All eyes on Bihar Speaker, who is from Lalu’s RJD

The fast-paced political developments after Thursday’s post on X by RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya with obvious reference to Nitish repeatedly switching sides, triggered the countdown of the Grand Alliance government’s fall. The body language and statements of JD(U) and BJP leaders made things clear when Lalu’s son and deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav skipped the high tea at Raj Bhavan hosted by the governor on Republic Day. JD(U) minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary removed Tejashwi’s nameplate from the chair next to Nitish and occupied it, sending a clear signal about how things are unfolding.

When asked about Tejashwi skipping the high tea, Nitish said, “Unhi se puchiye jo nahi aaye (ask the person who has not come).”

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi tried to speak with Nitish on Thursday but failed to establish communication, sources said. Though the Congress brass tried its best to have a word with him, Nitish was not available, it is learnt.

The opposition INDIA bloc failed to name Nitish as its convener despite his initiative to unite them. When his name was discussed, Nitish rejected the proposal as “it was too late”.

Now, in the changing scenario, all parties are keeping a close watch on Lalu as RJD’s Awadh Bihari Choudhary is the assembly speaker. A BJP leader told TOI, “You cannot dismiss Lalu’s political manoeuvring skills. Speaker has immense power and if Lalu succeeds in breaking a few JD(U) and NDA MLAs (of Manjhi’s party) to form a separate group, the change in government may linger for a while.”

The Grand Alliance without JD(U) has 115 MLAs, including RJD (79), Congress (19), Left (16) and AIMIM (1) while NDA with Nitish will have 128 MLAs (BJ, JDU 45, HAMS 4 and Independent 1). The majority mark is 122 in the 243-member assembly.

BJP is reaching out to allies and Union minister Nityanand Rai met HAM(S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday and RLJD president Upendra Kushwaha on Friday. LJP (RV) chief Chirag Paswan, who reached Delhi, claimed the final decision would be taken by BJP and LJP together and whatever happens would be in the interest of Bihar. Kushwaha and Chirag have been vocal against Nitish.

A JD(U) leader told TOI that his party wanted simultaneous Lok Sabha and Bihar assembly elections, but BJP did not agree. He also said BJP may want to reduce the JD(U)’s number of Lok Sabha seats from 17 in return for keeping Nitish as Bihar CM. BJP has to accommodate Chirag, his uncle and rival Pashupati Kumar Paras, Manjhi’s HAM(S) and Kushwaha in seat-sharing but will not contest less than 17 seats it had won in the 2019.

“Both JD(U) and BJP will be winners if they come together. Since 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar are crucial for PM Narendra Modi, BJP is ready to compromise. Nitish is aware of the hype created by the Ram mandir inauguration and is willing to jump on the NDA bandwagon to maintain JD(U)’s Lok Sabha numbers. It’s also a safe bet for BJP as it has no CM face in Bihar yet,” a BJP insider told TOI.

Late in the evening, Nitish transferred bureaucrats, including a few DMs.

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