Bihar on the boil: Nitish attends temple event with BJP leaders; RJD calls top meet

Amid speculation that he may do yet another volte-face and return to the NDA, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday (January 27) visited Buxar district, bordering Uttar Pradesh, to attend a function where senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey was also present.

Kumar, who was accompanied by his colleague and state minister Ashok Choudhary, inaugurated the beautification work at the famous Baba Brahmeshwar Nath temple in Brahmpur, Buxar.

Interestingly, the project was undertaken by the state tourism department, a portfolio held by Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav who skipped the function. No other RJD leader was present there on the occasion.

Notably, Tejashwi did not attend the high tea ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in Patna on Friday, organised every year on the occasion of the Republic Day.

No word on alliance

Immediately after the inauguration of beautification work at the famous Baba Brahmeshwar Nath, the CM offered puja there and left for Patna. Union Minister Choubey, who is Lok Sabha MP from Buxar, also did not talk much with the media and left the venue.

When specifically asked about the reason for his presence, Choubey said, “When I contested Lok Sabha polls from Buxar for the first time, I had come to this temple along with the CM. This time also I was present here when the chief minister came for the inauguration. There is nothing to comment on this.”

It may be recalled that Kumar had in July 2022 laid the foundation stone for the beautification project at Baba Brahmeshwar Nath temple complex. It is an ancient temple of Lord Shiva.

JD(U) leaders rush to CM residence

Top leaders of the JD(U) on Saturday rushed to the residence of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party president, amid strong indications that he was planning to quit the ruling ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and revert to the BJP-led NDA.

Leaders like former national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh, 'Lalan', minister and national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha and state legislative council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur reached 1, Anney Marg, the CM’s official residence here, around the same time when a meeting of legislators of the RJD, the JD(U)’s current ally, was underway.

A meeting of the BJP’s legislators and parliamentarians in the state is also scheduled at the party office later in the day though leaders have so far maintained that it has been called to discuss upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar has so far maintained a deafening silence over the political turmoil. There are strong rumours that he may resign and form a new government, armed with the BJP’s support.

RJD in a huddle

Meanwhile, RJD leaders on Saturday gathered at party president Lalu Prasad’s residence in Patna amid fears that the party might be ditched by Nitish Kumar.

Besides Prasad, his son Tejashwi Yadav, who is the Deputy CM, and wife Rabri Devi, a former chief minister, were present at the meeting attended by senior leaders, including members of the state legislature.

Incidentally, the RJD is the largest alliance partner in the Mahagathbandhan which includes Congress and three Left parties and falls eight members short of majority in the assembly in the event of Kumar’s JD(U) pulling out.

The ruling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar appeared to be on tenterhooks amid strong indications that Nitish may do yet another volte-face and return to the BJP-led NDA.

BJP blames Congress for ‘break up’

On the other hand, BJP’s state in-charge Vinod Tawde on Saturday blamed the Congress for the imminent "break up" of Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) president, with the opposition India bloc.

Tawde, who is in Patna to attend a party meeting scheduled later in the day, however, kept cards close to his chest when asked if the BJP will help Kumar form a new government.

"A meeting of our MPs and state legislators is scheduled to discuss about the Lok Sabha polls", asserted the BJP leader.

He, however, said, "We wonder if Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' has become an INDIA alliance todo (break up) Yatra. It has caused Mamata Banerjee to break up. Now the same is being done to Nitish". He, however, declined to take further queries on the political situation in Bihar.

(With agency inputs)