Janata Dal United (JDU) chief Nitish Kumar has resigned as Bihar’s Chief Minister (CM) and has announced his party’s exit from the ruling-coalition Mahagathbandhan in the state. The Mahagathbandhan alliance had comprised of INC, JD(U), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), various Left parties including the Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation-CPIML (Liberation) and Communist Party of India (Marxist).

 On Sunday, January 28, Nitish met Bihar governor Rajendra Arlekar at around 11:00 am and submitted his resignation letter. JD(U)’s exit from the Mahagathbandhan is seen as a blow to the INDIA bloc which already appears to be shaky with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announcing earlier this week that her party the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would be contesting alone in the upcoming general elections and that no seat-sharing talks have been conducted with the Indian National Congress (INC). 

The JD(U)’s exit from the Mahagathbandhan has been reported to have been triggered by the popularity wave the BJP attracted through the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22. Nitish was reported to have also been unhappy with the INDIA bloc fearing low seat-sharing.

Read: Unhappy in INDIA, Nitish uses Ram Mandir as opportunity to essay about-turn 

JD(U) had an informal meeting with its legislators on the evening of January 27. According to reports, the attendees reportedly said that there might be a return to the NDA.

“Today I have handed in my resignation and I have informed the Governor of dissolving the state government,” Nitish Kumar said while addressing the media.  He added that he will be forming a new alliance and clarified that the decision was taken after consulting with JDU’s MLAs. “Everyone was busy forming alliances and nobody was working. I have observed this,” he commented.

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