Nitish Kumar ditches grand alliance, to take oath with BJP support on Thursday
Nitish Kumar checkmates grand-alliance.
On a day of dramatic developments, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned today, dumping RJD over corruption charges against his deputy Tejashwi Yadav. Soon JD(U) decided to join hands with BJP, and the new government will sworn in under Nitish Kumar's leadership at 5PM, on Thursday.
Citing irreconcilable differences with the senior ally over corruption charges against Tejashwi, son of Lalu Prasad, Kumar announced his resignation after meeting Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, hours after the RJD supremo rejected outright the demand for his son's ouster.
Kumar's resignation capped days of stand-off between his party JD(U) and the RJD with the former insisting that Tejashwi defend himself against the allegations. "In the circumstances that prevail in Bihar, it became difficult to run the grand alliance government," Kumar told reporters outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi.
Congress top leaders weren't kept in the loop
Reacting to Nitish's resignation, Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the MLAs of grand alliance should meet and elect a new leader. He says that as RJD has the most number of MLAs, next CM should be from their party.
Lalu gave a new twist to Kumar's resignation, saying a pending case against him and not the differences over corruption charges against Tejashwi was at the root the the JD(U) leader's "resignation drama". In the 1991 Lok Sabha polls, a man named Sitaram Singh was killed at a polling station in Pandarak and Nitish Kumar is among the accused. He had made a mention of the case in the affidavit he filed while contesting the Legislative Council election, Lalu told a press conference.
He claimed a court in Barh had taken cognizance of the charges against Kumar in 2009 and that the case was still alive in the Patna High Court. "Nitish knew that he was soon going to be hauled up by the court and will have to quit in any case. He made the Tejashwi issue a ruse to exit before that happens," the RJD boss claimed.
Analysis: How Opposition paid for corruption again
Minutes after that PM Modi tweeted lauding Nitish Kumar for taking a strong stance against corruption. He said that 125 crore Indians will support Nitish Kumar's decision. Kumar responded with a quick tweet saying," I thank the prime minister from the core of my heart for praising my decision (of quitting)."
Kumar's JD(U) has 71 seats, while RJD headed by Tejashwi Yadav's father Lalu Prasad, has 80. The BJP has 53. Asked if he will now form a government with BJP's support, he said,"Whatever had to happen has happened. Now see what happens next."
Here's how the number game adds up
Kumar, who led the grand alliance that also included the Congress to a stunning victory, was sworn in on November 20 2015.
Earlier Lalu said, "Has Nitish asked for the resignation of Tejaswi Yadav?" "Are they (JD(U)) the police that we have to answer them?" he shot back in response to another question that JD(U) spokesmen have been regularly saying that Tejaswi Yadav has to come clean on the issue.
Flanked by wife Rabri Devi, son Tejaswi Yadav and senior party leader Jagdanand Singh, Prasad, in an apparent rejection of JD(U)'s demand, said, "I myself and Tejaswi will speak where it's required."
With PTI inputs
Live Blog
Nitish Kumar checkmates grand-alliance.
Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav to meet Governor at 11 AM to stake claim to form government.
Now all eyes will be on Governor Tripathi.
The BJP tonight handed over to Bihar Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi the letter extending support to Nitish Kumar for forming the next government. State BJP chief Nityanand Rai and senior party leader Sushil Kumar Modi drove to Raj Bhavan late this evening and handed over the letter. Sushil Modi also confirmed that BJP will be part of the next government.
Sushil Modi, Nityanand Rai and other BJP MLAs reach Nitish Kumar's residence in Patna for a meeting of JDU-BJP MLAs, reports ANI.
There are reports that BJP and JD(U) MLAs may meet the Governor as early as tonight to stake fresh claim to form government in the state.
Nitish Kumar has virtually checkmated RJD and Congress within few hours with swift political action.
LJP leader Ramvilas Paswan has hailed Nitish Kumar's decision. He called it as a 'bold decision' and says he had already predicted way back that the alliance is very fragile and will not last the distance.
Senior leader KC Tyagi has rejected RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's offer for electing a new leader. Tyagi says RJD is a political untouchable now after the kind of allegations they have levelled against Nitish Kumar.
Lalu says everything is planned and mentions PM Modi's tweets shortly after resignation. Lalu says that he is deeply heartened by Nitish Kumar's resignation.
Lalu says that the grand alliance should continue to respect the mandate of the people of the country. Lalu says that leaders of three parties should meet and decide on the next leader. And as RJD is the single largest party, they should have the option of choosing the CM. Lalu Prasad Yadav proposes a meeting where both Tejashwi and Nitish will not be present and they can elect a new leader to rule the state.
RJD chief says that people of Bihar are looking and they want non- BJP forces to continue to govern in the state.
Lalu Prasad Yadav says he has not taken any decision due to affection for his son. Tejashwi Yadav has become deputy CM after getting mandate of the people, says Lalu Prasad Yadav.
Lalu Prasad Yadav is now addressing the press. He starts by recalling how Nitish Kumar vowed to make a Sangh-Mukt Bharat after splitting ties with NDA.
Lalu says that Nitish Kumar never demanded for resignation, but asked for explanation. Lalu says that sufficient explanation has been given in the matter.
Senior Bihar BJP leader and former Deputy CM Sushil Modi says that the state unit is not in favour of mid-term elections. He says that a three member committee has been formed to strategise and coordinate with the central leadership about future steps the party is likely to take.
Uniion Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad says that the alliance was always unstable, and it was a matter of time before it was broken.
It is to be recalled that JD(U) and BJP were in alliance for 17 years, before Nitish pulled out of alliance ahead of 2014 General elections.
BJP Parliamentary Committee is currently meeting today, and it is expected that this breaking development will be top of their agenda.
Congratulate Nitish Ji on joining fight against corruption. 125 crore people welcome this welcome and support this honesty, tweets PM Modi.
To rise above political differences & fight against corruption in country & in Bihar in particular, for development is need of the hour, says PM.
BJP MLAs are currently meeting in Patna to discuss on the next course of action.
Nitish Kumar says that he tried to save the alliance, met Rahul Gandhi to find solution. But with RJD offering no explanation for corruption charges against Tejashwi Yadav, he had no other alternative, says Nitish Kumar.
Nitish says he has been always for united opposition, but asks at what cost should it come. Shouldn't there be an agenda for opposition unity, asks JD(U) Chief. Nitish Kumar says that wrong allegations have been hurled against him whenever he has taken some principled stance for national interest. Nitish Kumar gives example of demonetization and Presidential election where his stance was criticised.
Nitish gives no indication of his future plans as of now.
Reacting to reporters after resignation, Bihar CM says that he resigned because the grand alliance had become untenable. Nitish says that the situation was such that he was not able to do any work. Nitish says that he never asked for resignation, but urged Tejashwi Yadav to explain his position. But such explanation never came and hence it became tough for him to govern the state, says Nitish Kumar.