Bihar politics LIVE: Nitish Kumar to quit INDIA soon? Congress’ Bhupesh Baghel says ‘jo bhi hoga…’

When asked about Bihar’s political situation, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said, “Sab mil kar karenge jo bhi hoga. (We’ll do everything together)“

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is reportedly expected to resign soon and form fresh government in alliance with the BJP and its NDA partners. Reports emerged on Saturday claiming that the JD(U) chief may resign on Sunday, January 28. He might take oath later in the day, by 4 pm, AajTak reported while cited sources. Tap here to read more details

“I tried to communicate with him (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) but received no response yet,” says RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s possible return to the NDA.

BJP MLAs and MPs will meet at 10 am on Sunday at the Party office in Patna to further chalk out the strategy over the latest political situation in Bihar.

Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) will hold attend a meeting, post which, Kumar is expected to resign and take oath as the CM for the ninth time. Only this time, it will be in coalition with the BJP and NDA partners.

Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM already conducted a meeting on Saturday and declared their support for the BJP-led NDA. Reports earlier suggested that the Congress had approached the HAM, seeking their support.

After party meeting at former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s residence amidst political turmoil in the state, Hindustani Awam Morcha spokesperson Shyam Sunder Sharan, said, “It is clear that we are part of the NDA and will continue to stand firmly with the decisions of the alliance under leadership of PM Modi.”

On Bihar BJP state executive committee, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy told ANI, ” The meeting was held in Patna, all the MLAs, MPs and senior party functionaries were present. We basically discussed, there was a resolution passed for Karpoori Thakur for Bharat Ratna, party applauded the decision of PM Modi. As far as the political front is concerned, we are still awaiting the developments.”

Lalu Yadav’s party, the RJD, reportedly has a “game plan”. RJD leader Manoj Jha said on Saturday that Lalu Prasad Yadav has been authorised to take all the decisions. Meanwhile, sources told India Today that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, requesting him to join the INDIA bloc. Besides, Aaj Tak reported that the RJD may try to contact 16 JD(U) MLAs for that matter.

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Janata Dal (United)’s political adviser and spokesperson KC Tyagi said on Saturday it all but clear that the grand alliance government in Bihar is on the verge of collapse. He even accused a section of the Congress leadership of repeatedly “insulting” Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Tap here to read full report

Nitish Kumar may take oath for the nineth time at 4 pm tomorrow, Sunday, January 28, Aajtak reported.

Bihar Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Dr Ashok Choudhary have left from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s residence after the  JD(U) meeting.

Sources told Times Now that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish KUmar is not likely to resign on Saturday. However, a meeting of JD(U) leaders will be held on Sunday, January 28, the report added.

As of now, the RJD is the single-largest party in the Bihar Assembly. The Bihar Assembly has a totalNitish Kumar’s JD(U), which has 45 MLAs in the Bihar assembly, may form a government in alliance with the BJP, which has 78 MLAs. Both parties together will have 123 MLAs, just one more than the half-way mark required to form the government. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM [S]) had also joined the NDA in July 2023, making the task easier for Nitish Kumar.

Tap here to know what happens when the RJD moves to form government in case of Nitish Kumar’s possible switch over

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar seems to be all to make his second political volte-face in less than three years, with sources telling PTI that the JD (U) President is likely to tender his resignation by Sunday morning.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Saturday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not trustworthy, and that the JD(U) chief “himself doesn’t know which party he belongs to”.

“The meeting (of Bihar Congress) has been called to discuss about preparations of ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Bihar and not for making or breaking the government,” says Bihar Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh on CLP meeting in Purnea.

The meeting of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) MLAs is underway at the residence of party leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, in Patna. The HAM is an ally of the NDA and the BJP.

On Bihar political situation, RJD MP Misa Bharti said, ” I have no idea right now..whatever is going on in News that is only thing, other than that nobody has said anything…whenever RJD comes to power, we have worked for the people of Bihar and we will keep working for them in the future also.”

India Today reported that Nitish Kumar is likely to resign shortly.

Sources told ANI that during the RJD leaders’ meet, Tejashwi had hinted at many unexpected developments in the state. “What was there in Bihar before 2005?” I never reacted… Now, more people are with us. Whatever remained undone in two decades, we managed to get it done within a short time- be it jobs, caste census, increasing reservation, etc. ‘Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hain’ (The game is yet to begin in Bihar) Yadav reportedly said.

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On INDIA alliance and Bihar political situation, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, ” This alliance is unnatural…something that is unnatural can’t survive long. So, automatically this unnatural alliance will have a natural death…whatever is happening in Bihar, we have no role in it, the differences that are happening, it is because of them only…some of the most corrupt parties are part of INDIA alliance…Nitish Kumar doesn’t want to be with them now…”

On Bihar political situation, BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “You (media) are saying there is going to be some good change. We hope whatever happens it is for the good of Bihar…we keep coming to Patna for meetings…”

Nitish Kumar is set to resign as the Bihar Chief Minister on Saturday, sources told Jan Ki Baat earlier in he evening. Kumar is likely to take oath as the chief minister with the new NDA cabinet on Sunday, the report said. Read more details here

On Bihar BJP core committee meeting, Vinod Tawde, BJP National General Secretary said, “Today we called a meeting of state leaders and we will work for Lok Sabha (elections)”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the INDIA bloc is not “imploding but showing our democratic credentials”, adding the the “optics could have been better”.

Sources told ANI that during the RJD meeting in Patna, Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister and party leader Tejashwi Yadav told the party leaders that CM Nitish Kumar was and is respectable.

“Many things are not under his (Nitish Kumar) control. RJD’s allies in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ always respected the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister used to sit with me on the stage and ask, “What was there in Bihar before 2005?” I never reacted… Now, more people are with us. The work that was not done in two decades, we have done in a short time, be it jobs, caste census, increasing reservation, etc. ‘Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hain‘,” sources said.

As the Bihar BJP core committee meeting concluded in Patna, Union Minister Giriraj Singh told reporters, “Nitish Kumar is still the CM and Tejashwi Yadav is the Deputy CM, what can I say on this….”

In a press conference on Saturday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the party is hopeful that Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar, being co-architects of INDIA bloc, will continue to be part of INDIA alliance. 

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said his party’s alliance with the Congress is “off to a good start” with 11 “strong” Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh.

The state sends 80 members to the Lower House of Parliament and elections are due in April-May.

A core committee meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party is underway in Bihar’s Patna.

Bihar Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, BJP MP and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Union Minister Nityanand Rai, BJP Bihar President Samrat Chaudhary participated in the meeting.

Also, several Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders arrived at Deputy CM Tejaswi Yadav’s residence. Vijay Kumar Mandal, Lalit Kumar Yadav, Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Bihar Law Minister Shamim Ahmad, and Binod Jaiswal visited Bihar’s Deputy chief minister’s residence in Patna.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan who met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda in Delhi said more clarity over the prevailing political situation in Bihar will emerge in the next few days.

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said that there is a ‘serious difference of opinions’ between Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and Lalu Yadav’s RJD parties that has come out in the media itself’.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he has no information on JDU moving out of the INDIA alliance. “What they have in mind is not clear,” Kharge told media.

He said, “I have spoken with Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Sitaram Yechury. If we unite, we will give a good fight, and the INDIA alliance will be a success. Those who are interested in saving democracy will not change their minds and will stay with us”.

RJD leaders in Bihar on Saturday gathered at party president Lalu Prasad’s home here amid fears that the party might be ditched by Chief Minister 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.

Bharatiya Samaj Party Suheldev Singh claimed that JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar will switch to BJP and dump the INDIA alliance.

“I had already said that the (INDIA) alliance will collapse soon. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has already given her answer to Congress, and by the evening today, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will tell them that he will not be a part of their alliance,” the minister told PTI news agency.

In 2000, Nitish became CM for the first time after campaigning against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ‘Jungle Raaj’.

In 2013, Nitish broke ranks with the NDA after a 17-year alliance following the announcement of Narendra Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.

He expressed his displeasure to the BJP over Modi’s selection as the PM face, and after the BJP decided to not change its decision, Kumar left the alliance.

In 2017, Nitish forged a grand alliance with the RJD and Congress and returned as chief minister in 2015.He walked out of the grand alliance in 2017, accusing the RJD of corruption and choking governance in the state.

In 2022, Nitish Kumar snapped ties with the BJP once again, alleging the BJP was conspiring against him and trying to influence JD-U MLAs to rebel against him

Amid a political crisis in Bihar, BJP leader and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey participated in the foundation laying ceremony of development works with CM Nitish Kumar on Saturday at Bihar’s Buxar. On the Bihar politics, the minister said, “Whatever is God’s wish, will happen. The first time around, I only brought him (Nitish Kumar) here, and today also I have brought him”.

JD(U) leader KC Tyagi lashed out at Congress for the turbulence in the INDIA alliance. Amid rumors that JD(U) is moving back to its former ally NDA, Tyagi said, “Due to the irresponsible and obstinate attitude of Congress, the INDIA alliance is on the verge of breaking”.

On the Bihar political crisis, DMK MP Kanimozhi NVN Somu said that it was Nitish Kumar who brought all the regional forces together. Everyone said that Kumar belonged to the INDIA alliance. “I think they will all come to a consensus,” she added.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Union MoS Ashwini Kumar Choubey offered prayers at a temple in Buxar on Saturday.

BJP Bihar President Samrat Chaudhary has arrived for the party’s Core Committee meeting in Patna.

Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has been appointed as Senior Observor to coordinate Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and other party activities in Bihar with immediate effect.

There will be a meeting of BJP Legislators and all office bearers today at party office at 4 pm amid Bihar political turmoil.

Internal squabbles have surfaced at the INDIA bloc alliance in Bihar. Amid this, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda in Delhi.

Amid growing tension in Bihar’s political spectrum, several senior BJP leaders including BJP MP and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, Union Minister Nityanand Rai arrived for the party’s Core Committee meeting in Patna on Saturday.

Bengal CM and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee have reportedly said that Nitish Kumar’s exit from the INDIA bloc would be ‘good riddance’.

According to The Telegraph’s report, a source said, “Didi (Mamata Banerjee) thinks that if Nitish Kumar leaves the INDIA bloc, which is a certainty now, it would be good riddance”.

“She thinks that the anti-incumbency facing the Nitish-led government would have cost the alliance,” The Telegraph quoted the source.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday said the BJP central leadership is “monitoring the political situation in Bihar”.

Singh said “Our Central leaders will take decision accordingly”.

“Nitish Kumar is currently the Chief Minister of Bihar. Lalu Prasad’s led RJD and Congress are the alliance partners of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. Our Central leadership is monitoring the situation…Our Central leaders will take decisions accordingly”, Singh said.

BJP Chief Whip Bihar Legislative Council, Dr Dilip Jaiswal said, “Anything is possible in politics. We can consider any formula or factor to ensure that the country gets a strong government under the leadership of Narendra Modi in 2024…If Nitish ji thinks that not Mahagathbandhan, but the country should get a new govt under PM Modi, then BJP’s doors are open for such people even till a day before the elections…There is no Lalan Singh or Ashok Choudhary factor…”.

Stating that the Opposition INDIA alliance was being disintegrated in West Bengal, BJP Lok Sabha MP Dilip Ghosh claimed on Saturday that seats of the ruling Trinamool Congress will get reduced by half in the State and the Congress will be wiped out in the state in the coming Lok Sabha election.

“There is no alliance. They (the parties in the INDIA bloc) are all leaving it slowly. The TMC has itself said it will not have any alliance in West Bengal,” Ghosh told reporters here today.