Nitish Kumar steps down as Bihar CM, will he join NDA?

In a surprising turn of events, Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar, tendered his resignation to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Sunday, indicating a potential shift in political alliances. Kumar, who had been leading the grand alliance for less than 18 months, submitted his resignation amidst growing speculation about his inclination to rejoin forces with the BJP-led NDA.

The leader of the Janata Dal (United) made the announcement after days of political buzz surrounding his possible return to an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kumar, who had previously formed a government with the support of Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD, took the decision to resign and met with MLAs from his party earlier in the day.

Sources suggest that Nitish Kumar is set to form a coalition with the BJP, leading to his departure from the 28-party Opposition bloc INDIA. There are indications that ministers affiliated with Lalu Yadav's party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), may be removed by Kumar in the wake of his resignation.

The BJP and Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) have reportedly finalized a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, scheduled to take place in three months. All BJP MLAs in Bihar have purportedly expressed their support for Nitish Kumar, further solidifying the potential alliance.

To strategize over the unfolding political scenario in Bihar, BJP MLAs and MPs convened at the party office in Patna at 10 am today. BJP President JP Nadda, along with other party leaders, is expected to arrive in Patna by a special charter flight at 3 pm, further indicating the significance of the developments in the state's political landscape.