Nitish Kumar resigns as Bihar CM, says 'all JDU MPs & MLAs believed in exiting NDA'; RJD to get Dy CM and Speaker's post

Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal-United (JD-U)'s de-facto leader Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to governor Phagu Chauhan on Tuesday. He had reached the Raj Bhawan in Patna.

While Tejaswi Yadav may be appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister and a Speaker from the RJD.

The promise of five lakh jobs for the youths is also one of the key points of RJD's reunion with JD(U). The RJD had mooted the idea of public welfare and its manifesto had promised 10 lakh jobs.

After submitting his resignation, Nitish Kumar said, "All JDU MPs and MLAs were at a consensus that we should leave the NDA."

While speaking to the reporters outside Raj Bhavan, Kumar confirmed of his resignation from the top post and left for the residence of Rabri Devi in Patna.

If reports are to be believed, Kumar will meet the Governor a second time with Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav to seek a new term as Chief Minister.

Earlier, in the JD(U) meeting today, all MLAs and MPs of the party supported chief minister Kumar's decision and said that they were with him. They also asserted that they will continue to support Kumar in his decision.

Without naming Chirag Paswan, the legislators are reported to have recalled the actions of former Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief during the 2020 state assembly polls while warning the CM that if they were not alert, it would not be good for the party.

Paswan had fielded rebel BJP candidates in all seats fought by the JD(U) in the 2020 polls, in what some have alleged was part of a plot of the BJP to wedge its way into the ruling coalition in the state.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan opposition alliance was also held here today at former chief minister Rabri Devi's residence with the participation of leaders of the CPI-ML and the Congress - part of the Opposition 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance in the state.

The RJD-led Opposition in the state has said that it will welcome any re-alignment in Bihar's ruling coalition without the BJP.

The Congress is likely to get a ministerial berth after a formula was evolved during the discussions while the Left parties may extend their support from the outside.

Earlier, in the day, the Congress and Left parties handed over the lists of their legislators to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.

(with agency inputs)