RJD ready for mid-term polls in Bihar; asserts 'No entry for Nitish in Mahagatbandhan'

On Friday, RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav rubbished the possibility of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's return to the Mahagatbandhan. This comes amid speculation that RJD has extended an olive branch to the CM amid the recent unease in the JD(U)-BJP alliance. On July 26, 2017, Kumar had stepped down as the CM citing irreconcilable differences with RJD over corruption allegations against Tejashwi Yadav and joined hands with its former ally BJP.

Dubbing the NDA government as a "curse" for Bihar, Yadav reiterated that it did not have the people's mandate to govern. Maintaining that this government will not last, he revealed that RJD is ready for mid-term polls. According to the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, BJP wanted to get specific decisions passed by the CM so that they can cause his downfall. Earlier, RJD leader Shyam Rajak disclosed that 17 JD(U) legislators want to switch their allegiance, a claim vociferously denied by NDA. 

Read: JDU MLA's Big Claim: 'Nitish Will Step Down From CM Post, Tejashwi Will Form Bihar Govt'

The fallout of 2020 Bihar Assembly election 

The 2020 Bihar Assembly election witnessed a voter turnout of 57.05 per cent as against that of 56.66 per cent in the 2015 polls. The polls turned out to be a nail-biting contest with NDA emerging victorious in 125 seats as against that of 110 seats won by the Mahagatbandhan. BJP, RJD, JD(U), Congress won 74, 75, 43, and 19 seats respectively. BJP winning more seats than JD(U) for the first time in a Bihar Assembly election led to the buzz that JD(U)'s clout in the alliance will reduce.

The first sign of BJP's assertion came to the fore when two of its 4-time MLAs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi were sworn in as the Deputy CMs. Moreover, Kumar's recent revelation that BJP pressurised him to become the Chief Minister set the rumour mills abuzz. While acknowledging that the former JD(U) chief didn't want to become the CM, BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi opined that Kumar was convinced to take up the post as he was the face of the coalition in the polls. Additionally, the defection of 6 JD(U) MLAs to BJP in Arunachal Pradesh further ruffled feathers in the Nitish Kumar camp. 

Read: JDU Chief RCP Singh Says 'do Not Need Anyone's Offer' On RJD's Invite To CM Nitish Kumar