Bihar Political Turmoil: Nitish Kumar Resigns; Samrat Choudhary, Vijay Sinha May Get Dy CM Post; 10 Key Developments

Nitish Kumar will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the record 9th time this evening.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today resigned ending days of speculations. With his resignation, the Mahagathbandhan government formally fell in the state paving way for the return of the NDA government. Nitish Kumar's JDU has already received letter of support from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM). Kumar will take oath as the CM of the state once again this evening. While CM Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan in Patna today. Nitish Kumar also submitted BJP's letter of support to Governor Rajendra Arlekar and staked claim to form a government.

Vinod Tawde, BJP leader and party's state incharge said that the BJP MLAs have decided to support JDU in its legislature party meeting. The MLAs also selected BJP state presidnet Samrat Choudhary as the leader of the legislature party and Vijay Sinha as the deputy leader of the legislature party. Samrat Choudhary said that the BJP decided to support Kumar for preventing spread of a 'jungle raj' in Bihar. This makes Choudhary and Sinha eligible for the Deputy CM posts. Choudhary also thanked JP Nadda and Shah for giving him opportunity to be a part of the government.

मुझे @BJP4Bihar के विधानमंडल दल का नेता चुनने के लिए यशस्वी प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी, राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री @JPNadda जी, गृह मंत्री श्री @AmitShah जी समेत प्रभारी श्री @TawdeVinod जी का हृदय से आभार।

साथ ही मैं बिहार भाजपा विधानमंडल दल के साथ साथियों का भी हृदय से… pic.twitter.com/OvLFDCV87Y — Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) January 28, 2024

It's the fourth time that CM Kumar is switching sides. Here are 10 key developments so far:

1. Nitish Kumar met Governor Rajendra Arlekar aroudn 11 am and submitted his resignation while also staking claim to form a government with the support of the BJP and the HAM. Calling on the Governor at Raj Bhavan, Nitish told him, "We have decided to sever ties with the Mahagathbandhan in the state". The Governor accepted the resignation and deputed him as the Acting CM.

2. Talking to media, Nitish Kumar said, "I have resigned and proposed to dissolve the government. I had stopped speaking in the meantime. I have heard the voices of all party leaders. The situation was not good and comfortable in the Mahagathbandhan. Today, other parties (BJP, HAM) may take decision and we will inform you." Kumar said that he worked hard to form the INDIA alliance but while he was working, other parties including RJD and the Congress were not working for the welfare of the alliance.

#WATCH | Patna | Bihar outgoing CM and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar says, "Today, I have resigned as the Chief Minister and I have also told the Governor to dissolve the government in the state. This situation came because not everything was alright...I was getting views from… pic.twitter.com/wOVGFJSKKH — ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024

3. Three ministers of the BJP and JDU each and one from the HAM are likely to take oath this evening. Nitish Kumar had earlier proposed Sushil Modi's name for the Deputy CM post. 

4. Earlier today, Nitish Kumar, who is also the national president of the JDU, held a meeting of the party MLAs where all the JD(U) leaders authorised CM and party president Kumar to take any decision on behalf of the party.

5. The Bharatiya Janata Party also held a meeting of its 78 MLAs where the party informed its leaders about the ongoing development and the decision to remain united with the party's decision.

6. BJP president JP Nadda and Chirag Paswan will reach Patna by 3pm. The two leaders will be reaching Patna together and there are speculations that Chirag will be made Deputy CM.

7. Jational General Secretary, Janata Dal (United) and MLC in Bihar Legislative Council Sanjay Jha reached BJP office to invite the saffron party leaders for a lunch and meeting at CM Kumar's residence.

8. The fast-changing political events in the state were triggered by a social media post from former CM and RJD chief Lalu Yadav's daughter, Rohini Acharya, in which she took a swipe at the JD(U) saying that while the 'socialist party' styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns.

9. Congress leaders reacted sharply to Nitish Kumar's resignation with party leader Jairam Ramesh terming him a chamaeleon who keeps on changing colour.

10. In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP at 78; JD(U) at 45, Congress at 19, the CPI (M-L) at 12, CPI(M) and CPI at 2 each, and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)'s at 4. Another two seats are with the AIMIM and an Independent.

This comes as a big setback for the RJD-Congress alliance and the newly formed INDIA bloc as the 'founder-in-chief' Nitish Kumar himself has left the grouping.