Patna: In less than 24 hours, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday reiterated that he would not desert BJP and remain in NDA, saying joining hands with RJD twice was a mistake.
Kumar, during his Pragati Yatra, told media persons in Muzaffarpur that it was his mistake in joining hands with RJD twice. He was now with an old friend and would not desert the BJP again, he stated, adding that he would remain in the NDA.
The Chief Minister had also said the same thing in Gopalganj on Saturday during his Pragati Yatra. He made his stand clear twice since yesterday after an offer was made to him by RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav on January 1 to join the Grand Alliance again and work together.
Chief Minister Kumar had not given much importance to the offer of Lalu on January 2, saying, 'Let him say what he says.'
On the other hand, Tejashwi had said on January 2 that Lalu said such things to calm down repeated queries of media persons on the issue. Nothing more than cooling down the heat created by media for a new political alignment, he had remarked.
As it is, Nitish had formed Grand Alliance with RJD as its major partner in 2015 but parted ways in 2017 to join hands with BJP to form the NDA government.
In August 2022, he again deserted the BJP to join hands with the RJD to form the Grand Alliance government. In January 2024, making another political "U" turn, Nitish had returned to the NDA.