Amid mounting speculations about Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's potential departure from the ruling grand alliance to rejoin forces with the BJP, his deputy, Tejashwi Yadav, hinted at unforeseen developments in the state. The legislative party of Tejashwi's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) convened at the residence of party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, attended by party leaders and legislators, including former Chief Minister Rabri Devi. The discussions centered around the evolving political landscape, causing concerns within the opposition INDIA bloc, formed to counter the BJP on the national stage.
Tejashwi, addressing party members, acknowledged Nitish Kumar's respectability but highlighted factors beyond the chief minister's control. He recounted interactions where Nitish Kumar questioned the state's condition before 2005. Tejashwi expressed confidence, stating, "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, or increasing reservation. 'Bihar mein abhi khel hona baki hain' (The game is yet to begin in Bihar)," as reported by ANI.
The RJD, with 79 MLAs, stands as the largest ally in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance), followed by Nitish's JD(U) with 45 seats. The alliance also includes the Congress (19) and three Left parties—CPI-ML (12), CPI (2), and CPI-M (2). Should JD(U) switch sides, the grand alliance would fall eight members short of a majority in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.
Reports of Nitish Kumar contemplating an alliance break with the RJD and Congress dealt another blow to the INDIA bloc, already reeling from setbacks with the Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party deciding to go solo in the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal and Punjab, respectively. Intriguingly, Nitish had initiated the formation of the grand opposition bloc to challenge the BJP in the general elections.
The potential political upheaval in Bihar raises questions about the future dynamics of the state's ruling alliance and its impact on the larger opposition unity at the national level.