Nitish Kumar's first reaction after resigning as Bihar CM: ‘INDIA bloc not working’

Tendering his resignation as the Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar said on Sunday that the decision to dissolve the ‘mahagathbandhan’ government was taken after observing unprecedented conditions in the coalition. “Situations within the coalition were not favourable. I tendered my resignation today after considering all the views from leaders of my party,” he said.

Kumar also alleged that the INDIA bloc he spearheaded to take on the BJP was not doing its bit. He claimed people were unhappy with how others (in the coalition) “were taking credit for all the work being done”.

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"I have submitted my resignation as Bihar CM today. I have also asked the Governor to dissolve the government. Things were not working out well," he said, coming out of the Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation letter to the Governor. He further hinted at forming a new government under a new alliance with the BJP if “the old parties of the previous coalition come to a final decision today.”

He further alleged members of the INDIA bloc were doing nothing “despite working hard to bring them (Opposition parties) together”. “I was making an all-out effort to make the INDIA bloc running, but I received no response,” he said.

The resignation came after strong buzz that Nitish Kumar would join the BJP-led NDA, dissolving the mahagathbandhan government in the state.

Reacting to the political development, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that he expected Kumar to fight the BJP and its ideology till the end.

"I don't want to comment on the current political development in Bihar. I don't know what will happen there," he told ANI. "Nitish Kumar called the first meeting of opposition parties in Patna on 18th June 2023. The second meeting was held in Bengaluru on 17th-18th July 2023. Then again on 31st August-1st September in Mumbai. Nitish Kumar played a prominent role in all three meetings," he added.

This would mark the fourth time that Kumar would cross over between coalitions. He has been switching sides since 2013 over ideological disputes.