PATNA: Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary on Saturday asserted that his party would take any decision only after assessing any political development in the state.
Choudhary's comments come at a time when the Bihar ruling coalition, comprising JD(U)-RJD-Congress, is on the verge of collapse, with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar potentially rejoining the NDA, the alliance he left in 2022 to re-establish the 'mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance).
While talking to mediapersons after a meeting with core committee members, Choudhary said, "Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has not resigned so far, and nobody has withdrawn its support from the grand alliance government. We will know only when something happens."
"Politics is not done on something that is only visible. Politics is done based on the message somebody wants to give. We have full ‘astha’ in our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. If Modi Ji receives some message, we will come to know and act accordingly," he added.
On the other hand, the names of senior party leaders Sushil Kumar Modi and Renu Devi are doing the rounds for the post of deputy chief ministers, while senior leader Takrishore Prasad may also be considered for the post.
All three leaders have held the post of deputy chief minister in the past.
Sources also claimed that former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha patron Jitan Ram Manjhi has sought two cabinet berths in the new NDA government. HAM has four MLAs in the state assembly.
If Nitish crosses over, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides. An NDA ally since the 1990s, Kumar had quit the coalition in August 2022, suspecting the BJP of trying to engineer a split in the JD(U), and having conspired to bring down his party's tally in the 2020 assembly polls.
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.
