Patna: Backed by the BJP, Nitish Kumar on Thursday returned as the Bihar chief minister for the sixth time barely a day after his dramatic resignation that dented opposition’s unity which could have a bearing on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
But the JD(U)’s return to the NDA fold after four years by walking out of the Grand Alliance less than two years after being in power did not go down well with a section of the party with two MPs including M P Veerendra Kumar openly criticising Kumar’s decision.
Kumar, 66, will seek a trust vote during a one-day special session of the Bihar assembly convened at 11 am on Friday after the governor on Wednesday asked him to prove his majority on the floor of the House on July 28. A little more than 12 hours after Kumar resigned to break ranks with his allies — Lalu Yadav’s RJD party and the Congress — he was back in office after being sworn in by Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi at the Raj Bhawan.
Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was also sworn in, and would be the deputy chief minister. Veerendra Kumar, who is Kerala JD(U) president, expressed “shock” over Kumar’s decision and said the state unit would not follow the chief minister into the NDA fold. He appealed to all JD(U) MPs to “denounce the decision and quit the party.”
Veerendra Kumar and Ali Anwar, who are JD(U) Rajya Sabha MPs, met senior leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi amid reports that he was also displeased with Kumar’s action.
The deft political manoeuvres by Janata Dal (United) chief Kumar left the opposition stunned as he joined hands with friend-turned-foe-turned-friend BJP.
The governor has asked Kumar to prove his majority on the floor of the House on Friday. Union Health Minister J P Nadda and BJP leader Anil Jain were present at the brief ceremony where only Kumar and Sushil Modi were sworn in.
Immediately after the swearing in, the JD(U) announced that it will support the BJP-led NDA government in both the Houses of Parliament. Kumar had quit his post on Wednesday night following a fall out with the RJD. (PTI)
