New Delhi: Changing sides once again, Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Sunday, bringing an end to the speculation about the rapidly unfolding political developments in Bihar. Earlier in the day, Nitish submitted his resignation letter, along with letters of support from BJP legislators, to Governor Rajendra Arlekar.
Nitish will once again form a government, this time with the BJP after severing ties with the RJD. Celebrations erupted in the BJP office as the party is set to return to power with a JD(U) coalition government.
Soon after, the celebrations erupted outside the BJP office in Patna as acting CM Nitish Kumar will once again come in the NDA fold, as per ANI.
Notably, a poster congratulating the BJP was put up near Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna after he joined the BJP-led NDA bloc and it read "Nitish sab ke hain", reported ANI.
While talking to reporters, Nitish remarked, after tendering his resignation, "things were not working well" for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA, as per news agency PTI.
In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, RJD has 79 MLAs, followed by BJP with 78, JD(U) with 45, Congress with 19, CPI (M-L) with 12, two each of CPI(M) and CPI, four seats for Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), one for AIMIM, and one Independent legislator.
Nitish Kumar first became Chief Minister in 2000, campaigning against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's 'Jungle Raaj.' Since then, he has held the position on eight occasions.
In 2013, he parted ways with the NDA after a 17-year alliance following the announcement of Narendra Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
He left the grand alliance in 2017, accusing the RJD of corruption, and in 2022, he ended ties with the BJP, alleging a conspiracy against him and attempts to influence JD-U MLAs to rebel.