JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, after snapping ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and resigning as the Chief Minister of Bihar, held a joint presser with Tejashwi Yadav of RJD. 

“I have resigned, I have informed all my MLAs,”  Nitish Kumar, who has served as Bihar’s CM for five terms, said after his first session with the Governor on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old added that the decision to split from the BJP was based on the feedback he received this morning at an interaction with his party’s legislators. 

“Together, we’ll serve the people of Bihar,” Kumar said. 

Referring to the new alliance, Nitish Kumar told the media: “There are seven parties in the Mahagathbandhan, with a total of 164 MLAs including Independents.” 

He had also submitted the support letter of 160 MLAs to stake claim to form new government with 160 MLAs.

Also Read: Nitish Kumar’s deep sulk with BJP seen to signal mood for a new partner

JD(U) contested and won the assembly elections in 2015 as member of the Mahagathbandhan. Two years later, Nitish Kumar quit the alliance and formed an alliance with the BJP, and continued as chief minister of the state. In November 2020, the NDA government won the assembly polls in Bihar. 

Also Read: Why are KCR and Nitish Kumar missing from PM Modi’s big NITI Aayog meet?

Meanwhile, Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party Pashupati Paras announced that he will remain in the BJP-led NDA and will not go with Nitish Kumar in the grand alliance.

“Earlier also an experiment was done between RJD & JDU but they can’t stay together for long. Again such an alliance is coming, it’s not a good sign for Bihar’s development. We have decided that our party will remain a part of NDA,” Union minister and RLJP president Pashupati Paras told ANI.

Former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Chirag Paswan has called for imposition of President’s Rule in Bihar and accused Nitish Kumar of insulting people’s mandate for second time.

“Today credibility of Nitish Kumar is zero. We want President rule to be imposed in Bihar & the state should go for a fresh mandate. Do you (Nitish Kumar )have any ideology or not? In next polls, JDU will get 0 seats,” he said.