Master of the U-turn: Nitish Kumar ends alliance with BJP, quits as CM

Nitish Kumar's decision to resign as the CM comes after speculations were rife about his party's alliance with BJP

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar once again tendered his resignation to the Governor on Tuesday. Nitish, who came into power in 2020 with BJP as its ally, has again decided to end his alliance with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

 

Nitish Kumar's decision to resign as the CM comes after speculations were rife about his decision to end the alliance with BJP. The rift in both parties became evident after Nitish Kumar skipped the NITI Aayog meeting, which was chaired on August 7 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The former chief minister also skipped the dinner hosted for outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind and, subsequently, the welcoming of Droupadi Murmu.

 

Nitish Kumar has again been spotted with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, son of Lalu Prasad Yadav, ahead of his decision to end the alliance. As Kumar's eyes, ghar wapsi with mahagathbandhan, RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary said, "If Nitish chooses to dump NDA, what choice do we have except to embrace him (gale lagaenge)." He further added that the RJD is committed to fighting the BJP. We will have to take him along if the chief minister joins this fight.

 

But this is not the first time Nitish Kumar has ended an alliance with a party. In a career spanning over four decades, the JD (U) leader has had alliances with the BJP and RJD.

 

As Nitish Kumar is on his way out from the alliance with the NDA, here is a recap of his break-up with allies over the years and coming to power over the years:

 

In March of 1990, Nitish Kumar played a pivotal role in helping Lalu Prasad Yadav become the state's chief minister. The two knew each other from their college days, later joined hands and became comrade-in-arms during Jayprakash Narayan's agitation. However, in 1994, he rebelled against Lalu Yadav because he controlled the Janata Dal in the state. Kumar then went on to form the Samata Party with veteran leader George Fernandes.

 

Nitish Kumar became the state's chief minister for the first time on March 3 2000, after it came into an alliance with the BJP and Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the chairman. He, however, had to resign within seven days on March 10, after failing to prove the majority.

 

Kumar, once again, contested the polls in 2005 with support from BJP as its ally. He succeeded this time, won the elections with a full majority, and took the oath on November 24, 2005.

 

Nitish Kumar was re-elected for the third time as the chief minister on November 26, 2010, after he completed a full term, with support from BJP.

 

However, the unbreakable alliance between the JD (U) and BJP crumbled after 13 long years in 2013. Kumar's decision to end the alliance was based on the fact that the BJP appointed Narendra Modi as the chairman of the Lok Sabha election campaign committee. According to a media report, "Nitish had said that the split came as he believed that the NDA should have a leader with a "clean and secular image". He also gave a call for Sangh-mukt Bharat. The veteran leader also went on to say, "mitti mein mil Jayenge, BJP ke saath wapas nahi jayenge" (I would rather be reduced to dust rather than going back to the BJP).

 

After Nitish Kumar ended his alliance and walked out on BJP in 2014, Jitan Ram Majhi came to power, who eventually was replaced by Kumar in 2015. On February 22, 2015, just months before the elections, Nitish Kumar returned to power for the 4th time. He was, once again, formally elected on November 20, 2015, as the state CM for the fifth time with support from Mahagathbandhan.

 

In 2017, Nitish Kumar ended his alliance with RJD again after Lalu Yadav's son was under the scanner in an alleged money laundering case. While Kumar cited Tejashwi as the reason, Lalu Prasad Yadav hit back and called it an act of betrayal and added, "Tejashwi was just an excuse... Match was fixed between him and BJP to form a government together".

 

He, once again, moved back to the BJP to garner support, and on July 27, 2017, he became the chief minister for the sixth time.

 

In 2020, Nitish Kumar came to power for his 7th term after winning elections with BJP's support.