An old video of Nitish Kumar’s remarks on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) resurfaced on Sunday as the Janata Dal (United) chief junked the Mahagathbandhan in the state to return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). In the video, Nitish Kumar, with his deputy and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav standing next to him, is heard saying: “Mar jana qubool hai, unke saath jana humko kabhi qubool nahi hai, ye acchi tarah samajh lijiye.” [Rough translation: Dying is acceptable, going with them is never acceptable to us, understand this]
The video was purportedly shot in January 2023 and has resurfaced at a time when Nitish Kumar has decided to return to the BJP. Nitish Kumar met Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at Raj Bhavan in Patna and submitted his resignation letter.
Nitish Kumar’s reaction had come after BJP workers in Bihar were told that there would be no realignment with “unpopular” Nitish Kumar. “The CM has the proclivity to oscillate like a pendulum. But we are not going to be cheated by him again,” the then state unit chief Sanjay Jaiswal said.
The video is being shared widely on social media on Sunday morning amid the speculation that Nitish Kumar would be pulling a major flip-flop by breaking away from the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar and rejoining the NDA.
A similar alliance change to break the government had happened in 2022 when Nitish Kumar had resigned to snap ties with the BJP and formed an alliance with the RJD and the Congress.
NITISH KUMAR RESIGNS
Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation as Bihar chief minister to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar on Sunday morning, officials said. The governor accepted Nitish Kumar’s resignation, and asked him to continue as caretaker CM till a new government is formed, they said.
Nitish Kumar was accompanied by senior minister Bijendra Yadav of the JD(U) when he went to the Raj Bhavan. The BJP is likely to submit the letter of support to JD(U) and Nitish Kumar to stake claim to the government. A new government with the support of the BJP is likely to be in place by the evening.
(With agency inputs)
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Published: 28 Jan 2024, 12:35 PM IST
