Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday reacted to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s invitation to join the opposition’s alliance. The Bihar CM hinted at remaining with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA. The Bihar CM said that he “made a mistake twice” in the past by joining hands with the RJD, reported News18.
“The people of Bihar gave us a chance to work from November 24, 2005. Since then, we have been continuously working for the development of the state. Before 2005, Bihar’s condition was very bad. People were afraid to leave their houses after evening, there was no arrangement for treatment in hospitals, the roads were dilapidated,” Kumar said while addressing a review meeting as quoted by News18.
“When the people of Bihar gave us a chance to work, the condition of the state changed. We went here and there by mistake twice. But now we will always stay together and will develop the country along with Bihar,” he added.
In a conversation with a local YouTube channel from Bihar during the New Year celebrations, Lalu Prasad Yadav said, “If Nitish Kumar comes, why wouldn’t we take him along? Let’s stay together and work together.”
When asked if the RJD would form an alliance with Nitish Kumar if he returned, Lalu responded, “Yes, we will accept him. We will forgive all his mistakes; forgiveness is our duty.”
When questioned about his role as the party’s supremo and the final decision-making authority in the RJD, Lalu replied, “We take decisions, but it doesn’t suit Nitish Kumar. He keeps running away repeatedly. He leaves. If he comes back again, we will keep him.”
Kumar’s statement came amid ongoing speculation that he could switch sides and join the Opposition’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in Bihar after Yadav’s “doors are open for Nitish” statement. The assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled to take place later this year.
In January last year, Kumar rejoined the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls after dumping the Opposition’s INDIA Bloc. Notably, the Bihar CM had joined the Opposition’s ‘Mahagathbandhan’ in August 2022 after parting ways with the BJP.
Interstingly, Kumar’s Janata Dal-United (JDU) party left the BJP in 2022 after rejoining the saffron party in 2017. Kumar fought the 2015 Bihar polls in alliance with the Congress, the RJD and other Opposition parties. However, after corruption charges were levelled against then Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, he snapped an alliance with the RJD and joined the BJP after almost four years.
In 2013, Kumar got upset as the BJP appointed Narendra Modi as its poll campaign chief. He broke the ties with the saffron party and joined the Mahagathbandhan.
