Bihar Politics Highlights: Key BJP meet in Patna ends; Nitish Kumar to reveal his cards tomorrow

JD(U) MLA Gopal Mandal alleged that Nitish Kumar was not being "respected" in the Grand Alliance, which also comprises the RJD, Congress and Left parties, ANI reported. Mandal also claimed that Nitish Kumar was planning to "switch the alliance to save his existence".

Amid the speculations that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will possibly cross over to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) again, Congress leader Tariq Anwar said that Nitish has already changed sides twice and if he does so for the third time then his image in the eyes of the people of Bihar will be destroyed.

Tariq Anwar told ANI that if Nitish switches sides again, there will be a loss to the opposition alliance and no one can deny it.

"The political instability that is arising in Bihar is being created by BJP itself because they are very worried about the INDIA bloc. I still feel that Nitish Kumar will not take any such step which will tarnish the image of him and his party. He has already changed sides twice and if he does so for the third time then his image in the eyes of the people of Bihar will be destroyed," he said.

Amid speculation that Nitish Kumar may break ties with the RJD and form a government with the BJP on Sunday, Lalu Prasad Yadav called the Bihar Chief Minister five times. A restless Lalu Prasad also called on Nitish's landline, but the JD(U) leader refused to talk to the RJD supremo. Earlier in the day, RJD MP Manoj Jha urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to "clear the confusion".

On the current political situation in Bihar, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde says, "Bihar state BJP committee, state BJP MLAs and MPs will hold a meeting today to discuss the Lok Sabha elections."

On the current political situation in Bihar, Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra says, "The people in power should end this situation of confusion and bring clarity...For us, Nitish ji is still a part of the INDIA alliance."

Amid the turmoil in Bihar's ruling 'Mahagathbandhan', the opposition BJP has called a meeting of its MPs and MLAs on Saturday apparently to discuss the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

According to BJP state unit chief Samrat Choudhary, the meeting will deliberate on the party's strategy for the general elections, the dates for which are yet to be announced.

Asked about speculations that the BJP is set for another innings with Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Choudhary told reporters, "No such thing has been discussed at our level."

The BJP leaders on Friday dropped major hints about Kumar's reported discussions with the party's senior leaders.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said, "No door is closed in politics. The door can be opened if needed."

In a separate development, Bihar Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan has called a meeting of party MLAs and former legislators in Purnea at 2 pm on Saturday.

Adding fuel to the rumours, both JDU and RJD held separate meetings on Thursday night, with former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi commenting that the BJP's “doors never closed” for Nitish Kumar.

As uncertainty looms over the future of the coalition government in Bihar with speculations about Nitish Kumar rejoining the BJP-led NDA, the focus has once again shifted to the numbers in the Bihar assembly. The rumors over Nitish getting back with the NDA began on Thursday after RJD supremo Lalu Yadav's daughter Rohini Acharya talked about "changing ideology as the winds change its direction” in an X post. The speculations intensified as both JD(U) and RJD held separate meetings to discuss the developments with the party's top leadership. Read more

Amid rumblings in the opposition INDIA bloc, its leaders stressed on the need to defeat the ruling BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls, with DMK chanting the unity mantra to achieve the goal.

Top leaders of some of INDIA bloc constituents--Congress, DMK, the Left parties and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi attended a "Democracy will win" conference organised by the VCK here on Friday.

VCK, headed by Lok Sabha MP Thol Thirumavalavan, is a key ally of the DMK in Tamil Nadu.

DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, leaders of the CPI (M) and the CPI, Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, respectively and many others spoke at the well-attended conference which came amidst the ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar appearing to be on tenterhooks with strong indications that JD(U) president and that state CM Nitish Kumar may do yet another volte-face and return to the BJP-led NDA. JD(U), Lalu Prasad Yadav-led RJD, Congress and Left parties are the constituents of the ruling coalition in Bihar.

Amid signs of deep fissures appearing between JD(U) and its partners in Bihar, Union Food Processing Industries Minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) Chief Pashupati Kumar Paras on Friday asked people to wait for 1-2 days.

Speaking to the reporters here, Pashupati Paras said that with time the situation will get clearer in the state.

"Wait for 1-2 days... I have repeatedly said that time is more powerful than individual...Time will tell," Pashupati Kumar Paras said.

Amid the differences within the opposition alliance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged the INDIA bloc to stay united and make sure that the votes against BJP should not split.

Speaking at an event in Tiruchirappalli on Friday, MK Stalin said that everyone should have one aim not to allow BJP to come back to power.

"Everyone should only have one aim- not to allow BJP to come back to power. Votes against BJP must not get split," he said.

On the current political situation in Bihar, JDU MLA Gopal Mandal says, "Wherever our national president (Nitish Kumar) goes, we will follow him. JDU MLAs are strong, so it is not possible to break them. People can do anything to save their existence. He was not respected; he was being abused..."

The Bihar government on Friday transferred 22 IAS, 79 IPS and 45 Bihar Administrative Service (BAS) officers.

The transferred officers included five district magistrates (DMs) and 17 SPs.

According to a notification by the general administration department, Patna DM Chandrasekhar Singh, a 2010-batch IAS officer, has been made special secretary in the chief minister's secretariat.

Singh was recently in the news for his war of letters with the state education department over closure of schools in Patna in view of cold wave conditions. He has been replaced by 2011-batch IAS officer Shirsat Kapil Ashok, who is currently the IG (prisons).

Amid speculation that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will cross over to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) again, Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam said that JD(U) chief has lost his credibility.

"Nitish Kumar has lost his credibility. He and his decisions are responsible for this. Because of the deeds of Janata Dal (United) and its leaders, the INDIA bloc which was a new hope for the opposition, seems to be in danger. Congress should consider contesting the elections alone in the whole country. Such a huge battle cannot be fought by relying on crutches," Krishnam told ANI.

The reports of CM Nitish Kumar severing his ties with the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and reuniting with the BJP have triggered concerns about the stability of the 17-month-old, six-party Grand Alliance government.

Several NDA leaders including former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi have indicated an alliance breakdown between JD(U)-RJD.

Close on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rolling out the red carpet for former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who switched sides to the Congress after being denied a ticket ahead of the state assembly polls last year, the party is gearing for the possible return of another ally-turned-opponent, Nitish Kumar, according to several leaders aware of the developments. Read more

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday said that his party's doors are always 'closed' for Bihar Chief Minister Nish Kumar, who is likely to break away from the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) and reunite with the BJP.

Speaking to the reporters here, the BJP senior leader, however, cleared that he will stand with the decisions taken by his party's high command regarding inducting the JD(U) into the NDA alliance.

"Our doors are always closed (Humare darwaje to sada band band hain), but the party is foremost and I am only a worker of the party," Singh said when asked whether the doors of the BJP are opened for Nitish Kumar.

Speculations are rife that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will possibly cross over to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) again, an alliance he left in 2022 to join hands with the Opposition and form 'Mahagathbandhan'.

Several NDA leaders including former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi have indicated an alliance breakdown between JD(U)-RJD.

Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi said that the ruling Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government will not last for long.

Bihar’s ruling coalition appeared at breaking point on Friday with the Janata Dal (United), its ally Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party all corralling their lawmakers and calling meetings over the weekend as speculation about chief minister Nitish Kumar’s joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) reached fever pitch. Read more