PATNA: As rift between two ruling grand alliance partners–Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) widened, the possibility of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar resigning from the post on Saturday is more or less imminent. He may stake claim to form a new government with the backing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With political uncertainty looming large in Bihar following sudden turn of events, all eyes are on Raj Bhavan. Chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad are eyeing power in the state.
Reliable sources claimed that Nitish may resign from the post on Saturday and take oath as chief minister for the eighth time on Sunday. Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi may once again become deputy chief minister, the post he had held during NDA government led by Nitish Kumar.
On the other hand, RJD has also started thinking over formation of an alternative government in the wake of collapse of the grand alliance government. Lalu has convened a meeting of RJD legislature party at 5, Circular Road residence of deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at 1 pm and if the party legislators gave their consent for formation of an alternative government.
RJD along with Congress and three left parties have 114 MLAs, short of only eight MLAs to reach the magic figure of 122 in the 243-member assembly but it is exploring options how it could have the requisite number to form a government. Sources claimed that RJD has approached former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) to achieve the magic number.
If RJD succeeds in mustering the requisite numbers, it can stake claim to form a government by parading its MLAs before the governor.
