TAP TO UNMUTE

Patna: In what seems to be a change of stance, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), sources close to the development said.

As per the sources, top Janata Dal (United) (JDU) leaders are currently in talks BJP to mend fences, amid indifferences with current ally RJD, headed by Lalu Prasad Yadav.

While reports about the Bihar chief minister joining the saffron camp is just mere speculation, there are possibilities of such a development, as Kumar was one of the chief ministers who came out openly in support of demonetisation and other such schemes launched by the government.

Kumar’s JD(U) was a part of the NDA earlier for over 17 years but he walked out of it in 2013 when Modi was declared the prime ministerial candidate of the NDA.

All the speculations arise after top leaders of the BJP attended an official dinner at Kumar’s residence in Patna.

Kumar had also congratulated the BJP securing a sweeping victory in Uttar Pradesh, saying that the ‘poor voted for the BJP. He also criticised the other parties, including Congress, explaining that they should not have raised a finger at the government’s note ban exercise.

In hindsight, the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or the Grand Alliance in Bihar has witnessed difference of opinions from the leaders of two biggest parties in the coalition that defeated the BJP in 2015.

While RJD’s Lalu Yadav constantly campaigned for the SP-Congress alliance in Uttar Pradesh, it has to be noted that Nitish Kumar did not endorse the coalition, even though Congress is part of the grand alliance in Bihar.