JD(U) president Nitish Kumar on Sunday took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after a dramatic volte-face. In his fifth political switch since 2015, Nitish Kumar returned to the BJP-led NDA around 18 months after he left it.
Months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the 72-year-old was sworn in by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan in Patna, hours after he resigned from the CM post. Kumar said, “things were not working well” for him in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), in which RJD and Congress were major partners, and the Opposition's INDIA bloc.
“I was with them (NDA) earlier, too. We went on different paths, but now we are together and will remain so... I came back to where I was (NDA), and now there is no question of going anywhere else... You people know that I believe in work and the same will continue. I will keep doing work for the overall development of the state,” Kumar said after taking oath as the Bihar Chief Minister.
Besides him, six ministers and two Deputy Chief Ministers -- both from the BJP -- took oath on Sunday.
BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and former Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha will be the new Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar.
Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav slammed Nitish Kumar for switching sides again and said the Janata Dal (United) will be finished in 2024.
“He was a tired CM. Khel abhi shuru huai, khel abhi baki hain. I can give you in writing that the JD(U) party will be finished in 2024. The public is with us,” Yadav told ANI.
He added, “Why should we not take credit for the work we have done? ... The CM who used to say that it is impossible to give jobs, we gave jobs and showed that it is possible. We brought new policies in tourism, IT, and sports. The work that was done in 17 months could not be done in 17 years (of BJP-JDU rule). We did historic work in the 17 months.”
#WATCH | On Nitish Kumar joining NDA and breaking ties with RJD, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav says, "He was a tired CM. Khel abhi shuru huai, khel abhi baki hain. I can give you in writing that the JDU party will be finished in 2024. The public is with us..." pic.twitter.com/yQfQmodkEh
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Bihar Dy CM (Tejashwi Yadav) and Lalu Prasad Yadav had hinted regarding this and today it became true. Aise desh mein bahut saare log hein, aaya ram gaya ram.”
#WATCH | On the resignation of Nitish Kumar as the CM of Bihar, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge says, " Bihar Dy CM (Tejashwi Yadav) and Lalu Prasad Yadav had hinted regarding this and today it became true. 'Aise desh mein bahut saare log hein, aaya ram gaya ram'..." pic.twitter.com/WB2J5ck7Zh
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2024
RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav said that Nitish Kumar should be honoured with 'Girgit' (Chameleon) Ratna award for frequently changing his political loyalty.
“Chameleon is infamous for changing their skin ...Paltis Kumar should also be honoured with Chameleon Ratna award for frequently changing his political loyaltyâ€æfor his speed of colour change", he wrote on X.
“गिरगिट” तो बस यूँ ही बदनाम है..! रंग बदलने की रफ़्तार से तो पलटिस कुमार को भी “गिरगिट रत्न“ से सम्मानित करना चाहिए।
— Tej Pratap Yadav (@TejYadav14) January 28, 2024
The Congress party also took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with another chameleon barb on Monday.
In a post in Hindi on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Girgit ko bhi karni padi naye rang ki khoj, ye shoorveer badalte hain itne rang roz (Even the chameleon had to search for a new colour as these 'warriors' change so many colours every day)."
गिरगिट को भी करनी पडी नए रंग की खोज,ये शूर वीर बदलते है इतने रंग रोज़।
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) January 29, 2024
While talking to reporters in West Bengal's Uttar Dinajpur during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said, “What can I say? I said yesterday 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'. Nitish Kumar gives a tough competition to a chameleon.”
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called JD(U)'s exit from the INDIA bloc a setback in Bihar.
“It (Nitish Kumar's exit from the INDIA alliance) is certainly a setback in Bihar, but the fact remains that in politics there are ups and downs. I think in many ways it will redouble the determination of the people elsewhere as well as in Bihar to fight for the right things in the right way,” PTI quoted Tharoor as saying.
NCP president Sharad Pawar said people will give a befitting reply to Nitish Kumar for "frequently shifting loyalties".
In a video statement, Pawar said, “He (Nitish Kumar) was working for the unity of Opposition parties till 15 days ago. It is not known what happened suddenly... This has never happened before. Earlier the phrase 'Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram' became famous in Haryana”.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Nitish Kumar's name was never discussed for any lead position in the INDIA bloc.
Raut further said the "mental health" of Nitish Kumar and the BJP is not good.
“You have the wrong information. Nitish Kumar's name was never in the lead in the INDIA alliance (for any position). Given that the mental state of these two (BJP and Nitish Kumar) is not well, they should not play any games on the political ground,” he told reporters.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi alleged that Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi have "betrayed" the people of Bihar.
“The three parties (JD(U), RJD and BJP) together have betrayed the people of Bihar on the issues they spoke about, the promises they made and (they) talked about their political ideology. Kumar's role is big in this,” Owaisi said.
Further, he stated that it would be an understatement to call Nitish Kumar's actions "political opportunism" but he has "broken the record of everything".
“I would like to ask Tejashwi Yadav. How does it feel now? You have taken four of our MLAs. Do you feel any pain in your mind now? Do you realise that the game which you played with us, the same has happened to you now,” he added.
On the other hand, BJP president JP Nadda called Nitish Kumar a "natural alliance partner" and expressed happiness over his return to the NDA.
“The people of Bihar had given the mandate in the last Assembly polls to our natural alliance with Nitish Kumar. We are happy to have him back. Bihar has enjoyed stability whenever we have shared power. Things have looked up, be it infrastructure or law and order,” he said.
“Today marks a fresh march towards 'Ujjwal' (bright) Bihar. The state will again see growth propelled by a double engine under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership,” the BJP chief added.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
First Published: Jan 29, 2024 11:36 AM IST
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