Patna (The Hawk): Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, said on Sunday that he had broken his alliance with the BJP on the advice of two people: Lalan Singh, the national president of the JD-U, and Bijendra Yadav, a cabinet member.
"Lalan Singh and Bijendra Yadav advised me to dissolve the coalition when things went bad while we were in the NDA. We have considered the recommendations from our party members across the nation, and they have recommended that I break my alliance with the BJP and form the government with the seven-party coalition instead "Speaking to a group of JD-U workers on the second day of the party's open session in Sri Krishna Memorial Hall at the Gandhi Maidan, he said.
"We now have a seven-party coalition in power in Bihar, and we will work together to improve the state. I urge everyone to support Lalan Singh, the party's national president, "added Nitish Kumar.
The timing of Nitish Kumar's speech, from the Mahagathbandhan's perspective, is crucial for the RJD and other parties because it came just after his candidate in the Kurhani bypoll was defeated.
Political analysts feel that the JD-U candidate's defeat despite the support of seven parties is the reason Nitish Kumar made this comment three months after the Mahagathbandhan administration in Bihar was established.
There are rumours that Nitish Kumar wants to start a dialogue with the BJP by attributing the collapse of the NDA in Bihar to Lalan Singh and Bijendra Yadav.
Nitish Kumar might not be happy with the Mahagathbandhan's performance because it participated in three by-elections following the establishment of a new administration in Bihar and lost two of them.
The Nitish Kumar-led administration is also coming under fire for the increase in crime, and he might not want his administration to be associated with allowing "Jungle Raj" to return to Bihar.
(Inputs from Agencies)