Patna/IBNS: Congress MP Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, a nationwide rally, entered Bihar on Monday, a day after state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in a fresh political U-turn, media reports said.
Nitish on Sunday exited the Grand Alliance, where Congress was a part, in the latest of many of his political switches in recent years.
In this scenario, Rahuls rally started in West Bengals and reached Kishanganj in Bihar at around 11 am.
In the upcoming days, the Congress leader will undoubtedly target Nitish, who had won the 2020 assembly elections in an alliance with BJP but jumped ship two years later.
Nitish, who quit the Grand Alliance and resigned as the Chief Minister on Sunday morning, took oath once again for the top post in the evening teaming up with BJP and Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM).
Until a few months back, Nitish was a prominent figure in the Oppositions INDIA bloc and played a leading role in uniting various parties to challenge the formidable BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that Nitish had been instrumental in convening INDIA meetings, and the Opposition bloc anticipated his commitment to fighting against the BJP until the end.
However, his recent change of stance has put the INDIA bloc in an awkward position months before the Lok Sabha polls, lending support to the BJPs argument that the Opposition alliance is inherently unstable.
Nitish had been unhappy with Congresss attitude and accused it of assuming a big brother role in the alliance and causing delays in the discussions about seat-sharing.
It is needless to say that Nitish switched sides after he realised that his aspiration to lead the INDIA bloc and get an edge over the other parties fell flat.
His hopes were dashed after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was picked up to helm the coalition following AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjees recommendation.
His rift with RJD had been also widening. According to political observers, Nitishs decision to leave INDIA was fuelled by a social media attack by RJD leader Lalu Yadavs daughter Rohini Acharya, who called him a leader of no principle. She also indirectly targeted Kumars son saying he was not suitable for a career in public life.
Nitish Kumars once-held image as Sushashan Babu, the development-oriented man, has now been replaced by the perception of Paltu Kumar, the one who frequently switches sides.
The JDUs strength in the Assembly has considerably decreased, dropping from 115 seats in the 2010 Bihar polls to 71 in 2015 and further down to just 43 in 2020.
As a result, his party holds the position of the third-largest force in the Assembly though Kumar is the Chief Ministers chair.
