Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Nitish to take oath as CM for a record 9th time; 2 BJP deputies to join him

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Sunday, Nitish Kumar-led JD (U) attributed the disintegration of the INDIA bloc in Bihar to the Congress, alleging that its leaders focused on fortifying their party rather than supporting the opposition alliance, PTI reported.

K C Tyagi, the Janata Dal (United) spokesperson, informed the media that a faction within the Congress aimed to take control of the INDIA bloc leadership. He claimed that Mallikarjun Kharge’s name was put forward as the chairperson in a calculated plot. The JD(U) expressed surprise at the decision regarding Kharge during the INDIA bloc meeting, asserting that they had expected their president and Bihar chief minister, Nitish Kumar, to be named the convenor without being burdened with the chairperson role, as per their initial understanding.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Commenting on Nitish Kumar’s departure from the Bihar Mahagathbandhan, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday for luring four AIMIM MLAs to join his RJD party in 2022. Owaisi remarked that Tejashwi Yadav “is experiencing what he put us through.” Read more

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Political strategist Prashant Kishor on Nitish Kumar’s return to BJP-led NDA says, “If you look back at my remarks over the past one year, then you would find out that I was the only person who on camera said that Nitish Kumar can change his side anytime. People already know that Nitish Kumar is a ‘palturam’ and ‘sardar of palturams’. However, today’s incident has shown that all politicians in Bihar are also ‘palturam’.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) exiting Opposition bloc INDIA and joining NDA, Congress leader Pawan Khera says, “Someone who has to leave has to say something or the other. It is not easy to live with one’s conscience after taking such a step. If you are doing this for the 9th time, the conscience probably left you long back. He can say whatever he wants…Nitish Kumar could have had his name registered in history in a good manner but think about what situation he has brought himself in. He is becoming a subject of mockery in every household. Now, it is his desire if he wants to be a subject of mockery.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar resigning as the chief minister of Bihar and returning to BJP-led NDA, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party MP Prince Raj says, “We welcome Nitish Kumar, and also congratulate the people of Bihar… The law and order situation in Bihar had deteriorated under the ‘mahagathbandhan’ government and ‘jungle raj 2.0’ could be seen… The situation that changed in Bihar was because of miscommunication and misunderstanding… Better late than never, things have been sorted out…”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: After Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) broke ties with RJD in Bihar, BJP leader Nitin Navin says, “He (Tejashwi Yadav) only thought about his family and party and kept the youth of Bihar unemployed…The oath ceremony will be held today at 5 pm.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: TMC on Sunday strongly criticised Nitish Kumar, the president of JD(U), for his “frequent political somersaults” following his departure from the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar, PTI reported. The TMC asserted that the public will respond appropriately to such “opportunism.”

Earlier in the day, Kumar resigned as Bihar chief minister, citing that “things were not working well” for him within the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ he had joined less than 18 months ago and in the opposition bloc INDIA.

“Nitish Kumar is known for his political somersaults at regular intervals. It is unfortunate that he has decided to quit the opposition grouping INDIA and is likely to join the NDA. The people will give a befitting reply to such political opportunism,” Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy said.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: In anticipation of the new government forming in Bihar, which will include leaders from the BJP and Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM), JD(U) MLC Neeraj Kumar says, “We are going to form a new government with BJP and HAM. For those who were claiming that it wouldn’t be easy this time – we submitted a letter of support by 128 MLAs, at the Raj Bhavan. CM will be sworn in as a 9th-time CM…We made this decision due to the absence of seriousness in INDIA Alliance…INDIA Alliance has died an untimely death in politics. Their story is finished.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Nitish Kumar exiting the INDIA bloc says, “Nitish Kumar’s resignation as Bihar CM is not surprising. He is an experienced leader, but he keeps changing his political colour. People of Bihar will give him and his masters in Delhi a befitting reply.”

Ramesh was addressing a press conference as Nitish Kumar is set to retake oath as the chief minister of Bihar, along with his potential new deputy chief ministers from the BJP, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: DMK leader Saravanan Annadurai on Nitish Kumar resigning as Bihar chief minister says, “Nitish Kumar was one of the constituents of the INDIA alliance, but he was not a major stakeholder. Probably, he was a big figure in terms of personality but after what he has done now, his personality has… I don’t know how the people of Bihar will accept it that he has joined the BJP.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: On Nitish Kumar joining BJP-led NDA and breaking ties with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), RJD leader Mukesh Kumar Yadav says, “We have faith in our leader and we will follow him. We will go among the public.”

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Following Nitish Kumar’s resignation as Bihar chief minister and his departure from the ruling Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc, JD(U) KC Tyagi alleged on Sunday that the “Congress aims to seize and claim the leadership of the Opposition alliance,” ANI reported. The alliance, comprising 28 Opposition forces nationwide, was established with the shared goal of thwarting the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar Politics LIVE Updates: Vijay Sinha, deputy leader of Bihar BJP legislative party, who is likely to take oath as deputy CM today says, “We are determined to re-establish good governance by giving a farewell to RJD.”

On JD(U) joining NDA and Nitish Kumar set to take oath as Bihar CM again, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan says, “…I will attend the oath ceremony today as an NDA ally. It is a matter of joy that NDA is coming to power in Bihar…We too have a vision of ‘Bihar First, Bihari First’. I have said earlier too that I have had policy-based differences with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and I still have those differences. If the work continues as per his policies, the differences will probably continue in the time to come. I have always believed that his policies have not facilitated development in Bihar…”

On Nitish Kumar and JD(U) joining NDA, Congress leader Tariq Anwar says, “We have faced such challenges several times. The Opposition is strong here. RJD, Congress and Left will face this challenge together and I think people of Bihar won’t forgive Nitish Kumar this time. People of Bihar are being toyed with. They are being mocked. Bihar’s image has suffered a blow…”

INDIA bloc parties mounted a scathing attack on Bihar’s ex-Chief minister Nitish Kumar, after he tendered his resignation on Sunday, with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge claiming that he already knew this was coming and underlining that political turncoats like Kumar keep coming and going.

“This information was already given to us by Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav that he would leave. Today that came true. If he wanted to stay, he would have stayed but he wants to go. That’s why we already knew this, but to keep the India Alliance intact, if we say something wrong, a wrong message will be sent….In this country there are a lot of ‘aaya ram gaya ram’ type people,” Kharge said.

Kumar tendered his resignation from the post of Bihar CM to Governor Rajendra Arlekar and informed the later about his decision to sever ties with the ‘Mahagathbandhan’, citing bad relations with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.. This is his fifth turnaround since November 2005.

Congress General Secretary in-charge Communications, Jairam Ramesh too echoed Kharge’s statement and said that it was ‘not-surprising’ at all while jibing that Kumar had changed parties so many times, that he could give a touch challenge to chameleons.

Swearing-in at 5 pm today, Nitish to take oath as CM along with deputies Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Sinha, says ANI.

Nitish Kumar to be Bihar CM for the 9th time – 6 times with support of BJP and thrice with RJD.

Month & Year Support

March 2000 BJP

Nov 2005 BJP

Nov 2010 BJP

Feb 2015 RJD

Nov 2015 RJD

July 2017 BJP

Nov 2020 BJP

Aug 2022 RJD

Jan 2024 BJP

On Nitish Kumar joining NDA, Union Minister and BJP MP Nityanand Rai says, “Today is an important day for Bihar… Now Bihar will move forward on the path of development and we will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats of Bihar and PM Modi will be elected PM for the third time.”

On INDIA alliance and Bihar political situation, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad says, ” If the main man (Nitish Kumar) behind this alliance says so, then there was no future (for INDIA alliance). There is no vacancy for the Prime Ministerial post. BJP will have a historic win in Lok Sabha polls and in Bihar we will win the whole 40 seats”

On JDU President Nitish Kumar’s resignation as Bihar CM, DMK leader TKS Elangovan says, “I dont know what kind of pressure he is facing from BJP. BJP wants to break the INDIA alliance because they are afraid they might lose the elections… They have particularly chosen Bihar by convincing Nitish Kumar that Lalu Prasad will become CM… That might be used against Lalu Prasad since both of them are in the same alliance, and Nitish Kumarmight lose his seat. Our party leaders will have a talk with them…”

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi says, ” …Congress wanted to steal the leadership of INDIA alliance. In the meeting that took place on 19th December, through a conspiracy, to get the leadership of INDIA alliance, Mallikarjun Kharge’s name was proposed (as PM face), earlier in the meeting that took place in Mumbai, it was unanimously decided that without any PM face, INDIA alliance will work…through a conspiracy, Mamata Banerjee was made to propose Kharge’s name as PM face…all other parties have made their own identity by fighting against Congress…Congress kept dragging the seat sharing, we kept saying that seat sharing needs to happen immediately…INDIA lacked plans to fight against BJP”

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday called Nitish Kumar ‘aya ram, gaya ram’, after the latter resigned as the chief minister of Bihar and exited the Opposition’s INDIA bloc. In Indian politics, political turncoats are referred to as ‘aya ram, gaya ram’. Read more

Nitish Kumar submits BJP’s letter of support to Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Governor accepts the letter. CM Nitish Kumar and two Deputy CMs from BJP likely to take oath today: Bihar BJP Sources

In his first reaction to the political turmoil after handing over his resignation letter to the Governor, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the state of affairs in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) formed one and a half years ago was ‘not good’.

“I resigned as chief minister and requested the Governor to dissolve the government. The situation came to this pass as the state of affairs within the ruling alliance in Bihar wasn’t good. I sought the advice and opinions of everyone before coming to this decision. I took all opinions and suggestions to heart. The government is being dissolved today,” Nitish told reporters on Sunday.

CM Nitish Kumar and two Deputy CMs from BJP likely to take oath today: Bihar BJP Sources

The Bharatiya Janata Party here on Sunday termed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s resignation claiming “things were not working well” for him in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ as expected as the JD (U) president and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad were poles apart.

“Political turn of events in Bihar was expected …What I wonder is how a seasoned and honest politician like Nitish Kumar could continue so long with them (Mahagathbandhan),” Jharkhand BJP chief and former state chief minister Babulal Marandi told PTI.

Taking a dig at RJD supremo Prasad, Marandi said “nature and signature of a person doesn’t change” and Nitish Kumar could realise this after such a long time.

Santosh Suman, Jitan Ram Manjhi of (HAM) reaches CM house for meeting

Hindustani Aawam Morcha (HAM) holds a meeting in Patna, amid political developments in Bihar.

After the resignation of Nitish Kumar as the CM of Bihar, RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari says, “What was left with him? Public is the master. It watches everything and it will demand an account for everything…The work done by Tejashwi Yadav – janata ke beech jayenge aur NDA ki naav, Nitish ki naav dubayenge…”

BJP MP and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi says, “We welcome Nitish Kumar’s decision. We knew that the RJD-JDU alliance was an unnatural alliance and would not last long. We are happy and now JDU And BJP will together form the government. I hope that the new government will be formed in the next 2-3 hours…”

“Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha have been elected as leader and deputy leader of the legislative party, respectively. Most certainly, they will be our face for the deputy CM position,” says BJP leader and former Bihar Deputy CM

After being elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party, state BJP chief Samrat Chaudhary says, “BJP did a historic thing for my life…This is an emotional moment for me to have been elected as the Leader of the Legislative Party to be a part of the government…The mandate that we received in 2020 for the development of Bihar and to end the terror of Lalu Yadav – when the BJP received the proposal from Nitish Kumar to ensure that there is no jungle raj in Bihar and Sanjay Jha came here as his ambassador, we decided to support it…”

Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday resigned as the chief minister of Grand Alliance government alleging that things were not moving in the government. He is likely to take oath of the NDA government later in the evening.

Coming out of the Raj Bhawan after submitting his resignatin, Kumar told mediapersons, “Theek nahi chal raha tha (Everything was not moving right). I was trying to make things move. The RJD’s attitude was bothering me. The situation in GA govt was not good. Claims and counter claims have started,” he said while giving the explanation for resignation.

BJP chief JP Nadda to leave for Patna from Delhi this afternoon. He will return to Delhi later in the night.

Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar has blamed the slow progress of talks with the INDIA bloc for his exit from the Opposition’s alliance. In his first reaction after his resignation as the Bihar chief minister, Kumar said he tried to make the alliance work with “no response was coming”.

“…In the legislative party meeting…all MLAs unanimously passed the proposal to form the NDA government in Bihar with BJP, JD(U) and other NDA allies for the welfare of the people in the state. Samrat Chaudhary has been elected as the Leader of the legislative party, Vijay Sinha elected as the Deputy Leader.”

Samrat Choudhary made BJP legislature party leader and Vihat Kumar Sinha made deputy leader.

“I thank Nitish Kumar that he has resigned. Whatever be his compulsion, Bihar was perplexed if there was a Jungle Raj 2-like situation in 1.5 years. Had Tejashwi Yadav sat on the seat (CM position), it would have been very difficult…I was concerned about just one thing now, I was apprehensive that with the kind of pressure that Lalu Yadav was putting on him for the ‘tajposhi’ of Tejashwi – Bihar would have had a jungle raj again. It is free of this now. BJP won’t allow jungle raj in Bihar…”

JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha arrives at the BJP office in Patna, Bihar.

JD(U) president Nitish Kumar resigned as the CM of the state and told the Governor to dissolve the government.

As Nitish Kumar resigns, Bihar BJP legislature party has called for a meeting, which will take place after PM’s Mann Ki Baat and will review recent developments in the state and decide further course of action- Vinod Tawde, BJp’s national general secretary and in-charge of Bihar

Honorable Governor Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar @rajendraarlekar accepted the resignation of Honorable Chief Minister Shri Nitish Kumar and asked him to act as acting Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.

“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 everyone. I listened to all of them. Today, the Government has been dissolved…” says Nitish Kumar

I decided after taking views of all…I was making all out effort to make INDIA bloc running..but no response was coming, Nitish Kumar said.

“Today, I have resigned as the Chief Minister and I have also told the Governor to dissolve the government in the state,” says JD(U) president Nitish Kumar

Bihar governor accepts Nitish Kumar’s resignation, asks him to continue as caretaker CM till new government is formed: official

Amid the hectic political actvity in Patna with the picture of ruling Janata Dal ( United) led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar realinging with BJP led NDA getting clear, the Rashtriya Janata Dal ( RJD) appears to be in mood to take on his friend turned foe with a tinge of sarcasm and also highligting how deputy CM Tejashwi had worked hard to take some big ticket decisions for development of the state.

On Sunday, all leading vernacular newspapers in the state saw full page adverstiements by the RJD with a picture of deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and tagline ” Dyanvad Tejashwi” and another caption ” Aapne Kaha, Aapne Kiya Aur Hi Karengey’- an oblique attack on CM Kumar.