Will Nitish Dump BJP Again?

'Nitish Kumar may take a decision to dump the BJP alliance by November.'

Is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also president of the Janata Dal- United, a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, set to change sides again?

Speculation is abuzz in Patna that Nitish Kumar is not comfortable in the NDA and could rejoin hands with Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal to contest next year's assembly polls.

The provocation for such political gossip is Nitish Kumar's meeting with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly, twice in recent days.

"Aane wala samay mein kuch bada hone wala hai (Something big will happen in coming days)," says RJD MLA Bhai Virendar, adding that in politics no one is a permanent enemy or friend, it all depend on the situation.

Though JD-U leaders are reluctant to say anything about this in public, privately they don't rule out anything.

"Nitish Kumar can change sides again as his ongoing inning with the BJP is neither smooth nor trouble free," says a senior JD-U leader, speaking on condition of anonymity. The BJP's stand on caste census, reservations and the Waqf amendment have apparently perturbed Nitish Kumar.

"Nitish Kumar senses the BJP's plan to use Prashant Kishor against the JD-U in next year's polls, a repeat of what Chirag Paswan had done in the 2020 assembly polls that weakened the party position," adds this JD-U leader.

"Nitish Kumar may take a decision to dump the BJP alliance by November," surmises the senior JD-U leader.

According to sources close to the JD-U and RJD, a close aide of Nitish Kumar met with a close aide of Tejashwi Yadav in recent days. "That meeting was important because it formally began the process to finalise a deal between the JD-U and RJD. The real picture will take time to emerge, but one thing is certain: This smoke is not without a fire."

Nitish Kumar may dissolve the assembly and go for an early election by February or March, sources suggest.

On January 28, 2024, Nitish Kumar dumped the RJD led Mahagathbandhan and rejoined hands with the BJP and formed the NDA government in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar ended his 17-year alliance with the BJP in 2013 and joined the RJD and Congress in 2015, won the state assembly polls and formed the government.

In 2017, he dumped the Mahagathbandan, rejoined the NDA and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2020 assembly polls with the BJP.

In 2022, he dumped the BJP and joined hands with the RJD.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com