Why Did BJP Bring Back Nitish Kumar To NDA Fold?

The BJP which had repeatedly said that the doors were permanently closed for Nitish Kumar after ending he ended alliance in 2022 has once again joined hands with the JDU to form the next government.

Shrewd politician Nitish Kumar on Sunday submitted his resignation to Governor Rajendra V Arlekar. The governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue as caretaker CM till a new government was formed.

Kumar was accompanied by senior minister Bijendra Yadav of the JD(U) when he went to the Raj Bhavan. Kumar submitted his resignation after chairing a meeting with party MLAs at his official residence. Later, Kumar, leaders of JD(U), BJP, HAM and an Independent MLA met Governor Rajendra Arlekar and staked their claim to form the new Government in the state.

His decision to end the alliance has taken many by surprise, especially since it is his fifth flip-flop in the last 10 years. So, why did the saffron party, which is predicted to register a victory in the next General Elections by opinion polls, welcome him back to the NDA fold? Explained here:

A Jolt For INDIA Bloc
Nitish dumping 'Mahagathbandhan' just months ahead of the General Elections is a major setback for the INDIA bloc, formed by liked-minded parties to take on the BJP in the next elections.

Having played a key role in forming the opposition bloc, Nitish's decision to withdraw from the group lends credence to the BJP's argument that the coalition is inherently unstable. With Mamata deciding to go solo in West Bengal and a strained relationship with the AAP in Punjab, the saffron party is clearly trying to project that INDIA has collapsed even before the dates of the elections are announced.

40 Seats
Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats and joining hands with the JDU will put the BJP in an advantageous position instead of going solo. Of late, surveys had indicated that there was a possibility of the INDIA bloc performing well in Bihar. By ending the 'Mahagathbandhan', the saffron is leaving no stone unturned to score big in Bihar in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Declining Popularity Of Nitish
Nitish Kumar's popularity has been on a decline. Since 2015, the seats of his party have been coming down. In 2010, the party won 115 seats, followed by a decrease to 71 in 2015, and a further reduction to 43 for the JDU in 2020.

Aware of his diminishing popularity, the BJP, with 78 members in the 243-member Assembly, will have more say in the next government even though Nitish will head the government.

All these factors possibly made the BJP bring back Nitish Kumar, who is called by opposition party leaders as 'Paltu Kumar', to the NDA fold.