Former Deputy Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said Nitish Kumar had “murdered the Mahagathbandhan” (Grand Alliance) after the latter took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time following an alliance with the BJP. Mr. Yadav also made the prediction that Mr. Kumar’s party, the Janata Dal (United), would be finished by the end of 2024.
Mr. Kumar on Sunday became the CM yet again after joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Earlier, he had resigned from the post, toppling the Mahagathbandhan government which included the RJD, Congress and Left parties.
This is the the second time Mr. Kumar has deserted the RJD in favour of the BJP. In 2015, Mr. Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) had contested the Assembly election along with RJD and other partners of the Grand Alliance. However, in 2017, when Mr. Yadav’s name cropped up in the land-for-jobs scam, the Bihar CM severed ties and formed the government with the BJP. And again, in 2022, he broke the alliance with the BJP to form the Mahagathbandhan government.
