'BJP forced Nitish Kumar to become CM in 2020': JDU levels fresh charge post NDA split

The war of words between JDU and BJP continued on Wednesday after Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Mahagatbandhan government in Bihar. Addressing a press conference in Patna, JDU president Lalan Singh explained the difference between the modern-day BJP and the party led by late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani. He accused the saffron party of not adhering to the coalition dharma on multiple occasions. Singh also made an astonishing claim that BJP forced Nitish Kumar to become the CM in 2020 despite JDU having fewer MLAs. 

Lalan Singh opined, "BJP is a betrayer. NDA was formed in 1996 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and George Fernandes. Since 1996, we remained in NDA for 17 years. There was no problem for even 17 seconds because at that time, leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi would follow the coalition dharma. They would respect their allies and listen to them. What is happening in the name of NDA today?"

He added, "Despite being in NDA, JDU won 7 seats in Arunachal Pradesh fighting against BJP. We had no issues when you formed the government there. Our MLAs had also extended their support to the government. You poached 6 of our 7 MLAs."

"In 2020, Nitish Kumar didn't want to be the CM but you (BJP) forced him to be CM. Subsequently, some leaders started saying that we are the big brother and you have become the CM because of us. In 2005, we had 88 seats in the state Assembly, much more than BJP and yet no party worker or leader said that we are the big brother. The CM adhered to the coalition dharma. In the 2010 election, JDU got 118 seats. Nitish Ji could have formed a government on its own. But he accommodated BJP," the JDU president argued. 

Nitish Kumar sworn in as the CM

5 years after returning to the NDA fold, Nitish Kumar took another U-turn on Tuesday and joined hands with RJD, Congress, and the Left once again. He submitted his resignation to Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan and staked claim to form a new government with the support of 164 MLAs. Thus, only BJP and the lone AIMIM MLA constitute the opposition space in Bihar now. Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav were sworn in as the CM and Deputy CM respectively in the Raj Bhavan a day earlier. This will be Kumar's 8th term as the Chief Minister.