In a dramatic turn of events, Nitish Kumar, the leader of the Janata Dal (United), switched sides once again, returning to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday. This move comes less than 18 months after he left the alliance, forming a new government with the support of Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal. Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time, with BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha named as Deputy Chief Ministers.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar stated, “I have come back where I was earlier. Now, there is no question of going back.” Citing reasons for his decision, he mentioned that “things were not going well.” The Opposition’s INDIA bloc, a coalition that included the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), DMK, TMC, and AAP, faced a significant setback ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls due to Kumar’s move.
Despite the political turbulence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Kumar and expressed confidence in the newly formed NDA government in Bihar. The BJP, with 17 MPs in Bihar’s total of 40, has formed an alliance with the JD(U), which has 16 MPs, and the LJP, now split between Pashupati Kumar Paras and Chirag Paswan, with six MPs.
Nitish Kumar’s political journey has been marked by frequent changes in alliances. Since 2013, this is the fifth time he has switched sides, demonstrating the dynamic and unpredictable nature of Bihar’s political landscape. Kumar’s return to the NDA is expected to impact the political dynamics in Bihar and may influence the outcome of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and Assembly elections.
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