Nitish's ties with INDIA bloc worsen, Sushil Modi hints at coalition

Senior BJP leaders held consultations among themselves and with allies on Friday amid signs that the party is open to joining hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yet again as his ties with INDIA bloc partners nosedive.

Former Bihar deputy chief minister and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi, who has been among the state leaders consulted by the BJP top brass, told reporters that doors are never closed permanently for anyone in politics.

They open and close as per the necessity, he said, when asked about the party's earlier stand that its doors were closed for Kumar forever after he snapped ties with the BJP in August 2022.

 

Modi said, "As far as Kumar or the JD(U) are concerned, doors are never permanently closed in politics. Closed doors open when the time comes but whether they will open or not is for our central leadership to decide."

However, BJP sources declined to comment on whether a decision has been taken to join hands with the JD(U).

Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda have consulted with party leaders over the unfolding development in Bihar as the RJD asked Kumar to clear the air about the intense political speculation on his future steps. The wily leader, meanwhile, kept his cards close to his chest.

RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha told reporters in Patna that the JD(U) president should clear the air on the reports that he was planning to vault back to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

"We formed a government together for the welfare of the people and to defeat the BJP. The prevailing confusion is affecting public life in Bihar. Only the chief minister can dispel the confusion," said Jha.

BJP leaders have also been in touch with allies such as former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan and Upendra Kushwaha.

Paswan and Kushwaha have a history of political antagonism towards Kumar. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader, however, suggested that he will go by the decision taken by the BJP leadership.

Manjhi's son Santosh Kumar Suman, an MLC, said the JD(U)-RJD-Congress government in the state may fall in a day or two.

He, however, added that his party has not received any categorical information from the BJP about Kumar's likely return to the NDA.

"It appears to me that this government will fall in a day or two," he said.

A section of BJP leaders from Bihar are, however, not keen on aligning with Kumar, claiming that his stock is down and his diminishing credibility will harm their party and leave the field open to the RJD-led opposition to cash in on the anti-incumbency against him.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, a staunch critic of Kumar, told reporters that he will go by whatever decision the BJP leadership takes.

"I am not welcoming nor am I against anyone. It is the decision of the central leadership. Whatever decision they take, I am sure it will be in the interest of the state and the party," he said to a question.

Asked if he was happy about the possibility of a fresh BJP-JD(U) alliance, Singh said, "I am neither happy nor unhappy. I am a worker of the party, I will abide by whatever decision is taken."

However, with the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the prevailing view within the party appears to be that an alliance with Kumar will ensure a near-repeat of the 2019 poll results when the NDA had won 39 of the total 40 seats in the state.