Opposition unity advocate Nitish set to dump Bihar tie-up, return to NDA?

PATNA: Signs of deep fissures appeared Thursday between JD(U) and its partners in Bihar, triggering concerns about the stability of the 17-month-old, six-party Grand Alliance government amid CM Nitish Kumar dropping hints about rejoining NDA led by BJP, a former ally he dumped in Aug 2022.
Nitish is likely to share the stage with PM Modi at a function to be held at Sugauli in Bihar's East Champaran district on Feb 4, sources said.

The discord within the Grand Alliance was visible Thursday after RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya made veiled comments against CM Nitish for "changing his ideology as the wind changes its direction". Rohini posted at least three comments, indirectly criticising the CM for his remarks on "parties promoting family members in politics". She later deleted her posts.
RJD distanced itself and claimed her remarks were directed at PM Modi. Senior JD(U) leaders, including ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Sanjay Jha, attended a meeting in the CM's home later in the evening and assured that all was well within the Mahagathbandhan.
BJP calls Bihar cadre to Delhi; SuMo says not keen on tie-up
The PM’s visit on Feb 4 is final. Nitish Kumar has also been invited since it is an official function. He will definitely share dais with the PM,” a BJP leader said.
Even so, various political conjectures emerged in Patna, including Nitish potentially parting ways with Mahagathbandhan to ally with BJP, allowing a BJP legislator to assume the role of CM, or persisting as CM under NDA.
There was also speculation that Nitish might push for dissolution of the assembly and advocate simultaneous polls.
The BJP leadership called its Bihar cadre to Delhi for a meeting with home minister Amit Shah. A state BJP leader clarified the meeting was not previously scheduled.
BJP RS member Sushil Kumar Modi, traditionally seen as abridge between BJP and Nitish, said party workers were not inclined towards an alliance with Nitish in 2017 and maintain a similar stand in 2024. Nitish has been in and out of NDA since 2013 when he first broke the alliance with BJP. In July 2017, he returned to BJP camp, but in Aug 2022, he again went back to Grand Alliance. Cold vibes: The Bihar cabinet on Thursday held a 20-minute meeting with no words exchanged among the CM, Tejashwi Yadav and ministers from the JD(U), RJD and Congress, reports Abhay Singh.