NEW DELHI – Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar has returned to the NDA fold, causing criticism from the Congress party over his frequent political flip-flops. Kumar resigned as chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan government, which included the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, only to take oath again with the support of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
This marks the fourth time in the last 11 years that Kumar has switched political sides in Bihar. His first departure from the BJP occurred in 2013 when he joined forces with the RJD. He then returned to the BJP-led NDA in 2017. In 2022, he left the NDA once again to join the Mahagathbandhan but has now returned. The Congress party criticized Kumar, accusing him of giving tough competition to chameleons.
Kumar met with the Bihar governor earlier on Sunday to tender his resignation as chief minister of the Mahagathbandhan government. He cited the deteriorating state of affairs within the alliance as his reason for resigning, claiming that others were taking credit for the good work. Hours later, the Bihar BJP passed a resolution to form an NDA government in the state with the JD(U). The new government is expected to include two deputy chief ministers from the BJP.
The Congress party responded sharply to Kumar’s decision. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge revealed that he already knew Kumar was leaving and stated, There are many people in the country like ‘Aaya Ram-Gaya Ram’. Jairam Ramesh, another Congress leader, took to social media to criticize Kumar’s political alliances, stating that he was giving tough competition to the chameleons in changing colors.
The RJD, aware that the Mahagathbandhan government was on the brink of collapse, placed full-page advertisements in newspapers to thank Tejashwi Yadav, its young leader and former deputy chief minister of Bihar. Notably absent from the advertisements was Nitish Kumar.
Former Congress leader Kapil Sibal used the Bihar political developments to take a swipe at Prime Minister Modi and the BJP. He highlighted the disparity between the talk of Ram Rajya at the Ayodhya consecration ceremony and the current Aaya Ram Gaya Ram situation in Bihar.
Despite the BJP’s previous statement that the doors of the NDA were permanently closed for Kumar, the party has also reversed its stance. With an eye on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP likely aims to repeat its 2019 success, during which the NDA, with Kumar on its side, won 39 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. This strategic decision could also serve as a psychological blow to the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, formed to challenge the BJP in the elections.
Nitish Kumar’s political flip-flops continue to draw attention and criticism, leaving Bihar’s political landscape in a state of constant flux. As he returns to the NDA fold yet again, questions remain about the stability and longevity of his alliances.
