I tried but it had became difficult to run government in Bihar: Nitish Kumar

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar resigned on Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences with ally RJD.

Patna: In a major political development, Nitish Kumar on Wednesday resigned as Bihar Chief Minister, saying that he had quit in the interest of the state after failing to resolve a crisis plaguing the ruling Grand Alliance.

"I have resigned for the sake of Bihar," the Janata Dal (United) leader told the media after meeting Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi who accepted his resignation.

He added, "In the circumstances that prevail in Bihar, it became difficult to run the Grand Alliance government."

"I tried to work it out... I did not ask for anybody's resignation... I just asked Tejashwi to explain the charges of corruption," he said.

The sudden development throws the politics of Bihar into chaos with no party having a majority in the 243-member Assembly. 

Kumar's JD(U) has 71 seats, while RJD headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav, has 80. The BJP has 53.

Asked if he will now form a government with BJP's support, Nitish said,"Whatever had to happen has happened. Now see what happens next."

Kumar was sworn in on November 20, 2015.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Kumar for "joining the fight against corruption" saying the entire nation supports his honesty.

JD(U) had ended its 17-year association with BJP after Narendra Modi was nominated the saffron party's campaign committee chief for 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

"Congratulations. Mr Nitish Kumar for joining the fight against corruption. 1.25 crore people are welcoming and supporting his honesty," he tweeted.

"For the bright future of the country, and especially Bihar, it is the need of the hour to rise above political differences and join the fight against corruption," PM Modi said.

Tensions simmered between the two alliance partners ever since the CBI registered a case against Lalu, his wife and former CM Rabri devi and son Tejashwi in a land-for-hotels case.

The offence was allegedly committed when Lalu was the railway minister in the UPA government.

He was allegedly instrumental in handing over the maintenance of two hotels of Indian Railways-owned PSU ICRTC to two Patna businessmen in return for a prime plot of land in the Bihar capital where his family is now constructing a shopping mall.

Reacting to the development, Lalu gave a new twist to it, saying a pending case against Kumar and not the differences over corruption charges against Tejashwi was at the root the the JD(U) leader's "resignation drama".

In the 1991 Lok Sabha polls, a woman was killed at a polling station in Pandarak and Nitish is among the accused. He had made a mention of the case in the affidavit he filed while contesting the Legislative Council election, Lalu told a press conference.

He claimed a court in Barh had taken cognizance of the charges against Kumar in 2009 and that the case was still alive in the Patna High Court.

"Nitish knew that he was soon going to be hauled up by the court and will have to quit in any case. He made the Tejashwi issue a ruse to exit before that happens," the RJD boss claimed, as per PTI.

He slammed Kumar for seeking explanation from Tejashwi over graft charges against him, saying "We will give the documents to CBI. Who are they to ask for it? Has Tejashwi engaged in any act of corruption as a minister in Bihar?"

"There is the involvement of Narendra Modi in all this. Nitish has slapped the people of Bihar and now people like Sushil Modi (a top state BJP leader and former deputy CM) are eager to form government with JD(U)," he said.

Replying to a question, Lalu said he had not sacrificed the Grand Alliance government for "love of his son".

"We were the largest party in the grand alliance. Tejashwi got the post of the Deputy CM. We had the mandate of the people," he said.

(With Agency inputs)