New Delhi: Modi’s party loses power in Bihar after ally switches sides
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party lost power in Bihar, third most populous state in India, after its regional ally broke ranks to join an opposition alliance that now has majority to form next government.

Bihar sends fourth most number of elected lawmakers to parliament and fall in government there is a rare setback for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which dominates politics in country.

Bihar’s coalition collapsed ahead of 2024 general election, which BJP is still expected to win for a third straight term unless disparate opposition parties are able to come together to overcome Modi’s popularity.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, from regional Janata Dal (United) party told reporters he resigned after his party colleagues recommended exiting BJP coalition. He accused BJP of trying to undermine his party, a charge BJP denied. Kumar said his new alliance, with regional Rashtriya Janata Dal as its biggest constituent, had a comfortable majority and that a new government would be formed soon.

BJP said Kumar had betrayed it and people of Bihar, after having together won last state election in 2020.

BJP coalition won 39 out of 40 parliamentary seats in Bihar in 2019 general election, helping Modi win one of biggest mandates in India in decades. “I am sure people of Bihar will teach Nitish Kumar a lesson,” said state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal. “We will keep fighting. We will not only do well in 2024, but also win more than two-thirds of total assembly seats in next state election in 2025.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 11 2022

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