Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has blamed Congress for the ongoing turmoil in Bihar politics and growing fissures within the INDIA bloc.
In an interview with India Today, the Samajwadi Party chief said, “Congress should have come forward. The enthusiasm that Congress needed to show in discussing and engaging with the INDIA alliance was missing”.
He said Bihar’s political crisis could have been averted if Congress had taken some initiative.
Yadav said he is disappointed about the reports claiming that Kumar will join the NDA camp. “I want Nitish Kumar to stay with the INDIA bloc. After all, he was the one who took the initiative and formed the INDIA alliance,” Yadav told the TV channel.
Why Nitish Kumar cannot be ignored by INDIA or BJP ahead of Lok Sabha Polls
On poll campaigning with Rahul Gandhi for the Lok Sabha election, Akhilesh Yadav said, “only time would tell whether such a collaboration would materialise”.
Speculations are rife that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will rejoin the NDA alliance. Several NDA leaders including former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi have indicated an alliance breakdown between JD(U)-RJD.
Is INDIA bloc splitting? Here what JD(U) advises Cong to keep alliance running
Kumar had joined hands with RJD, founded by his former arch-rival Lalu Prasad, in August 2022 after he severed ties with the BJP which he accused of having tried to engineer a split in the JD(U).
Bihar: Mahagathbandhan on tenterhooks as Nitish Kumar edges towards NDA
The longest-serving CM of Bihar, thereafter, embarked upon a drive to bring together all parties, across the country, to take on the BJP that culminated in the formation of the opposition bloc INDIA.
What numbers in Bihar Assembly look like if Nitish Kumar switches alliance?
If Nitish Kumar crosses over, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP’s 78; the JD(U)’s 45′ the Congress’s 19, the CPI (M-L)’s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s four seats, and the AIMIM’s one, plus one Independent legislator.
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Published: 27 Jan 2024, 08:38 AM IST
