Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, reportedly assumed leadership, although the decision needs to be approved by the JD(U) national council later on Friday.
This occurred in the midst of a reported internal split regarding Singh’s proximity to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the JD(U)’s coalition partner in Bihar.
Why is this story important?
In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the leadership of the JD(U) could be crucial as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) continues to bargain on seat-sharing.
Kumar was reportedly dissatisfied with Singh’s handling of the opposition bloc’s seat-sharing dispute because Singh was not “coordinating effectively.”
But it’s crucial to remember that Kumar has a reputation for being a hard negotiator.
Singh notifies Kumar that the elections will take up his time.
Although Singh was rumored to be stepping down, Kumar and other JD(U) officials had earlier emphasized that Friday’s gathering was a routine, annual practice.
According to Munger MP Singh, CM Kumar was informed by the Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary that “he will be busy with elections.”
“So, he wants to hand over the post of party president to him, and [Kumar] accepted it,” he said.
Singh took action as tensions grew.
Singh reportedly became more close to the RJD lead by Lalu Yadav, which is why he decided to resign.
Giriraj Singh, a Union minister and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had previously discussed the possibility of an RJD-JD(U) merger.
Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister of Bihar and leader of the RJD, was rumored to take over the combined organization.
Tejashwi refuted the rumors, claiming that the BJP was “planting stories” in order to undermine their coalition.
Kumar’s desire to become prime minister
The most recent event coincides with Kumar’s purported aspirations to become prime minister, even though he has never acknowledged them in public.
According to reports, Singh had offended Kumar—who is known for having a volatile temper—by failing to promote his name as the prime ministerial candidate of the opposition party.
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for the position during last week’s INDIA meeting.