Nitish Kumar forms alliance with BJP; takes oath as Bihar CM along with eight leaders

Patna (Bihar) [India], January 28 : After a dramatic volte-face, ditching the Mahagathbandhan and the opposition bloc INDIA and forming a new government with the BJP, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar along with eight ministers-- three each from the BJP and the JD-U, one from HAM and one independent took oath on Sunday.
Among the Ministers sworn in were Samrat Chowdhary, Vijay Kumar Sinha and Prem Kumar (BJP), Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Kumar Chowdhary and Shrawan Kumar (JD-U), Santosh Suman (HAM-S and son of Jitan Ram Manjhi) and Sumit Kumar Singh (Independent).
Kumar was sworn in by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar at Raj Bhavan in the presence of senior leaders including BJP national president JP Nadda, hours after he resigned from the post.
Meanwhile, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were among those who took the oath of office. The two are named as Deputy Chief Ministers.
While joining the NDA fold again today RJD MLA Bhai Virendra said that the INDIA alliance will defeat the NDA.
"He used to say that he would die but not join BJP...You should ask Samrat Choudhary if he would burn his 'pagari' or fulfil his promise...INDIA alliance will defeat the NDA," Virendra said.
Congress MP Digvijaya Singh said that he never expected that Nitish Kumar would take such steps.
"We never expected that he (Nitish Kumar) would take such steps because he always used to say that he would die but never unite with them... If he wanted to become the convenor (of INDIA alliance), we would have made him. We even offered him but he only denied the post, then what was the reason for taking such a step," Singh said.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said that the public will definitely teach Nitish Kumar a lesson for his role in future.
"Whatever happened in Patna, such a situation was never seen before in such a short period of time...I remember it was Nitish Kumar who had called all the non-BJP parties to Patna...His role was also similar but what happened in the last 10-15 days that he left this ideology and today he joined BJP and formed the government...In the last 10 days, it did not seem that he would take such a step. On the contrary, he was playing a role against BJP. Don't know what happened suddenly, but the public will definitely teach him a lesson for his role in future," Pawar said.
Congress leader Udit Raj said that there will be no comparison to being opportunistic.
On Nitish Kumar taking oath as Bihar CM after joining NDA, Congress leader Udit Raj says, "There will be no comparison to being opportunistic. Once he said that I would die but never go with the BJP. 'Palturam' title is minimal for him (Nitish Kumar). Something higher than this should be given to him. He has again reached the same place (NDA) where he was insulted," Raj said.
Meanwhile, NCP working president Supriya Sule said that it is a democracy and everyone has the right to feel, but the rest of the INDIA family stays intact.
"It is clearly disappointing for us because he is a tall leader of India. But it is a democracy and everyone has the right to feel, but the rest of the INDIA family stays intact. We will not just work as an organisation but as India's family...Why should there be a problem if one ally has a difference of opinion?" Sule said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that negotiations will be taking place on a state-by-state basis.
"Bihar mein Baahar aa gaya. Now there will be development in Bihar, both the central government and the state government will work together for the development of the state. I congratulate Nitish Kumar. NDA will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats," he added.
Moreover, the NDA alliance welcomed Nitish Kumar and asserted that NDA will sweep the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi expressed his happiness about the new experiment of the Bihar government.
"I express my happiness on the new experiment of the Bihar government. An atmosphere of uncertainty that was prevailing has come to an end. We have earlier also worked with the BJP...We have had a good experience working with them," Tyagi said.
After taking oath as a minister in the new Nitish Kumar-led government, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) president Dr Santosh Kumar Suman thanked PM Modi, CM Nitish Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhi and all those who considered me capable of serving my state and the people of Bihar.
"Now I have got a chance to serve the public again. I thank PM Modi, CM Nitish Kumar, Jitan Ram Manjhi and all those who considered me capable of serving my state and the people of Bihar... (RJD-JDU) alliance was not pure, there was pressure on Nitish Kumar and he was not able to work there... He took a good decision and joined NDA...Now there will be good governance and development in Bihar," he added.
Union Minister and President of RLJP, Pashupati Kumar Paras said that the development of Bihar had stopped during their government.
"Khela toh ho gaya, ab kya khela hoga...The development of Bihar had stopped during their government...Now Bihar will develop," he added.
Newly elected Deputy CM of Bihar, Vijay Kumar Sinha thanked the party leadership, especially PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and National President, for showing confidence in me.
"I thank our party leadership, especially PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister and National President, for showing confidence in me...The NDA government will establish good governance and there will be development." ' On Tejashwi Yadav, he says, "He got a good opportunity to play but he could not play and failed in that game," he added.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan said that NDA will win all 40 seats of Bihar.
"It is a matter of happiness that Bihar has now got the NDA government...Looking at the current situation, I can say that NDA will win all 40 seats of Bihar," he added.
RLJD Chief Upendra Kushwaha said that, "This is a natural alliance and people gave the mandate to this alliance only...Now Bihar will develop and NDA will win all 40 Lok Sabha seats."
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy said that a good atmosphere is being seen in Bihar.
"There was a need for a big change in Bihar. A good atmosphere is being seen in Bihar. This is good for Bihar. We will sweep the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for taking the oath of office again- this time for the record 9th times.
In a post on X, the PM said that the NDA government formed in Bihar under Nitish Kumar will leave no stone 'unturned' for the development of the state.
"The NDA government formed in Bihar will leave no stone unturned for the development of the state and to fulfil the aspirations of its people. I congratulate Nitish Kumar, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha on taking oath as CM, Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar," he posted.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his good wishes and thanked him wholeheartedly for his cooperation.
"I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his good wishes and thank him wholeheartedly for his cooperation. A new government has been formed in Bihar with the NDA alliance...With the NDA coalition government at the Center and the state, development work will gain momentum," Nitish Kumar said.
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth term.
Governor Rajendra Arlekar administered the oath of office at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital.
After days of speculation, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar on Sunday, his second volte face in less than 18 months. Snapping ties with the RJD and Congress, Nitish will now be forming a government with BJP's support, the oath-taking of which is going to take place shortly.
Nitish Kumar cited the state of affairs being "not right" under the Mahagathbandhan as his reason for quitting. He said that he has been receiving suggestions from everywhere, including his party workers, and he listened to all of them to come to this decision.
Despite turbulence in state politics, Nitish, whether with the Mahagathbandhan or the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has managed to retain the CM's chair and ensured that his party has not split over his repeated flip-flops.
In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP's 78; the JD(U)'s 45' the Congress's 19, the CPI (M-L)'s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)'s four seats, and the AIMIM's one, plus one Independent legislator.
Nitish Kumar, after parting ways with the BJP in 2022, took on the initiative of uniting all opposition forces to jointly take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling party in the national election.
In 2000, Nitish became CM for the first time after campaigning against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav's 'Jungle Raaj'. Till now, he has been Bihar's CM on eight occasions.
In 2013, Nitish broke ranks with the NDA after a 17-year alliance following the announcement of Narendra Modi as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
He expressed his displeasure to the BJP over Modi's selection as the PM face, and after the BJP decided to not change its decision, Kumar left the alliance.
In 2017, Nitish forged a grand alliance with the RJD and Congress and returned as chief minister in 2015.
He walked out of the grand alliance in 2017, accusing the RJD of corruption and choking governance in the state.
In 2022, Nitish Kumar snapped ties with the BJP once again, alleging the BJP was conspiring against him and trying to influence JD-U MLAs to rebel against him.