Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Resigns, Set To Align With BJP

Dealing a significant setback to the emerging opposition coalition in India, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned today, signaling his intention to align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just months before the upcoming national elections. Nitish Kumar, leader of the regional Janata Dal (United) party, which had been in a coalition with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress in Bihar, formally submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar.

Kumar, a key figure in the formation of INDIA seven months ago, expressed dissatisfaction with the alliance, stating that he would be leaving it and forming a new one. Following the resignation, the governor accepted Kumar's decision and appointed him as the caretaker chief minister until a new government was established. Speculation suggests that a new government, with the support of the BJP, will be in place shortly.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi promptly congratulated Nitish Kumar on his decision. INDIA, a 28-party opposition bloc, included major parties like Congress, Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Left parties, Samajwadi Party, and several smaller regional parties to challenge the BJP, led by Prime Minister Modi, in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Bihar legislative assembly, comprising 243 members, has the Rashtriya Janata Dal as the largest party with 79 seats, followed by the BJP with 78, Janata Dal (U) with 45, and Congress with 19, among others. This marks the second time in his current term as chief minister that Nitish Kumar has switched alliance partners, having previously aligned with the RJD less than one and a half years ago. Now, he is returning to the BJP-led alliance, despite his party lacking a majority in the legislature, where the RJD holds the largest share, followed by the BJP. Nitish Kumar is poised to become chief minister once again, relying on the same legislative arithmetic.