Patna: Amid a day of fast-moving political developments, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced his resignation after meeting Governor Phagu Chauhan on Tuesday.
Nitish Kumar, who went to Raj Bhavan alone, announced his resignation to the waiting media after coming out.
“I was the chief minister of Bihar. Now, I have given my resignation from the post of Chief Minister,” he said.
Asked about the dispute between him and BJP, he left the question unanswered.
Earlier, addressing a meeting of lawmakers of his Janata Dal-United, Nitish Kumar, sources said, levelled allegations against the BJP, saying it was conspiring against him and trying to influence JD-U MLAs to rebel against him.
Sources said that Nitish Kumar accused the BJP of “horse trading” and giving some party leaders lucrative offers to make them ministers. He said that he has proof of this.
Meanwhile, JD-U MLAs have been asked to stay inside CM’s residence.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal also asked MLAs of Mahagathbandhan to stay in senior leader and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi’s residence at 10 Circular Road until the decision of the Governor comes.
It is learnt that Nitish Kumar is expecting the Governor to invite him to form the government again, as he has submitted signatures of his party’s MLAs, as well as those of the Mahagathbandhan before Bihar governor.
Technically, the RJD is the single-largest party in the Assembly and after Nitish Kumar’s resignation, the Governor may invite its leader Tejashwi Yadav to form the government. However, as Tejashwi Yadav has already given documents of support of Mahagathbandhan MLAs of Mahagathbandhan to Nitish Kumar, he may recommend the name of Nitish Kumar only.
Nitish, Tejashwi Yadav go to Raj Bhavan to stake claim for new government
After submitting his resignation as Chief Minister to Governor Phagu Chauhan on Tuesday, Nitish Kumar returned to the Raj Bhavan, this time with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, to stake claim to form a new government.
Both the leaders sat in one car to reach the Raj Bhavan. Besides them, JD-U leaders Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Shrawan Kumar and other leaders were also present.
Earlier, Nitish Kumar met the Governor to submit his resignation and then straight away, went to Rabri Devi’s residence at 10 Circular Road to meet Tejashwi Yadav and other leaders of the Mahagatbandhan.
Nitish Kumar then returned to his official residence at 1 Anne Marg along with Tejashwi Yadav, Congress state in-charge Bhakta Charan Das and other leaders of the Mahagathbandhan.
A meeting of the leaders of Mahagathbandhan was held in 1 Anne Marg where the gathering elected Nitish Kumar as a leader in the Assembly, paving way for his return as Chief Minister.
Cong, Left parties handover lists of MLAs to Tejashwi Yadav
The Congress and Left parties on Tuesday handed over the lists of their legislators to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Even as the meeting of RJD, which was taking place at Rabri Devi’s residence here, was going on, legislators from the Congress and Left parties also reached there and handed over their lists to Tejashwi Yadav.
Mandan Mohan Jha, the state president of Congress said: “We will support Nitish Kumar if he leaves the BJP and forms a new government with the help of Mahagathbandhan. We have also given the list of all 19 MLAs of our party to RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.”
Mahboob Alam, the MLA of CPI (ML) said: “We have also given the list to Tejashwi Yadav. We will uproot the BJP from power. We are giving support to Nitish Kumar for the formation of a new government.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the appointment of Governor Phagu Chauhan at 1 p.m. Tuesday. He is working with the ‘plan of 2013’ to sack all 16 ministers of the BJP in the name of cabinet expansion and include leaders of RJD and Congress. Left parties have reportedly decided to support Nitish Kumar government from outside and not take share in the cabinet.
Sources have said that Tejashwi Yadav has demanded the home ministry portfolio and the post of Speaker. Now, all eyes are on Nitish Kumar’s next move.
