LIVE | ‘Will stay together’: Nitish after taking oath as Bihar CM in NDA fold
Nitish says “things were not working well” for him in the Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc, returns to NDA, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Sunday (January 28) took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after he and his party left the Mahagathbandhan alliance in the state and the Opposition INDIA alliance at the national level and joined the BJP-led NDA alliance yet again.
He was administered the oath of office by Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Patna.
Along with Kumar, BJP leaders Vijay Kumar Sinha and Samrat Choudhary took oath as ministers in the Kumar-led government.
Earlier in the day, Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying “things were not working well” for him in the Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc, and staked claim to form a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
The swearing-in ceremony started at 5 pm.
Talking to reporters in Patna after submitting his resignation to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Kumar said: “I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. The government that was in place now comes to an end. I have let it go.”
At the state BJP headquarters, the party’s in-charge Vinod Tawde said: “…A proposal was moved to support the JD(U) and form an NDA government, which was unanimously accepted by all MLAs.”
Tawde also said that state BJP president Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha have been named as leader and deputy leader, respectively of the legislature party.
The 72-year-old Kumar indicated that he was not feeling happy with the way things were in the Mahagathbandhan in the state as well as the INDIA bloc that he helped take shape but which failed to adequately recognise his efforts.
“You all know how I came to this alliance and also how I worked to bring together so many parties. But of late things were not working well. It was not going down well with those in my party as well,” said Kumar.
He also made an indirect reference to the deafening silence he had maintained over the political turmoil that had engulfed the state for the past few days.
Kumar resigned after a meeting of the JD(U) legislature party, which authorised him to take any decision about the alliance.
The swearing-in was held in the presence of BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, who arrived in Patna in the afternoon.
Kumar had joined the Mahagathbandhan in August 2022, when he had snapped ties with the BJP accusing it of trying to “split” his JD(U). He formed a new government with a multi-party coalition that included RJD, Congress and three Left parties.
(With agency inputs)
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Live Updates
- 28 Jan 2024 11:50 AM IST
#WATCH | JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha arrives at the BJP office in Patna, Bihar.
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the CM of the state and told the Governor to dissolve the government. pic.twitter.com/VGpqm2fe8M - 28 Jan 2024 11:39 AM IST
Nitish Kumar tendered his resignation as the Chief Minister of Bihar to Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The Governor accepted the resignation and deputed him as the Acting CM. pic.twitter.com/uaDXROe6PA
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024 - 28 Jan 2024 11:34 AM IST
#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 - 28 Jan 2024 11:28 AM IST
Nitish Kumar resigns as Bihar CM, says 'I will form another alliance soon'
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar on Sunday morning, officials said.
The governor accepted Kumar's resignation, and asked him to continue as caretaker chief minister till a new government is formed, they said.
Kumar was accompanied by senior minister Bijendra Yadav of the JD(U) when he went to the Raj Bhavan.
Kumar submitted his resignation after chairing a meeting with party MLAs at his official residence.
A new government with the support of the BJP is likely to be in place by the evening, according to sources.
(With inputs from agencies)
- 28 Jan 2024 11:11 AM IST
Nitish Kumar meets governor at Raj Bhavan
Nitish Kumar meets Governor at Raj Bhavan; tells him, "We have decided to sever ties with the mahagathbandhan in the state".
- 28 Jan 2024 11:03 AM IST
'Acche deen' will soon come in Bihar: Shahnawaz Hussain
Amid the speculation that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar may tender his resignation and stake claim to form a new government with the BJP's support, senior saffron party leader, Shahnawaz Hussain, on Sunday said 'acche deen' (better days) will soon come in the state.
#WATCH | Patna | BJP spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain says, "I am going to listen to Mann ki Baat...What is in the 'Mann' of the people of Bihar - we will hear it in Mann ki Baat..." pic.twitter.com/WvRVBuBpjE
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024Talking to reporters, ahead of the crucial BJP legislatures meeting at state BJP headquarters here, Shahnawaz, told reporters, "Acche deen will soon come in Bihar…and the state will be made RJD 'mukt' (free) Bihar".
According to sources in the saffron camp, the BJP's strategy is to wait for Nitish Kumar to resign first. The sources said the BJP will hand over the letter signed by its MLAs to Nitish Kumar and the BJP's House leader and party president may accompany Nitish Kumar when he visits the Governor to stake claim at around 4 pm.
"If the BJP again forms the government with the JD(U), it will go back to the earlier formula of 2020 where Nitish Kumar will continue as the chief minister, and the BJP will have two deputy chief ministers. This formula has been finalised this time also", said a senior BJP leader on the condition of anonymity.
(With inputs from agencies)
