Nitish Kumar resigns as Bihar CM; Lalu accuses him of colluding with BJP

The Hindu

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has resigned, citing irreconcilable differences with ally RJD on the issue of corruption charges against his deputy Tejashwi Yadav.

 

“In the circumstances that prevail in Bihar, it became difficult to run the grand alliance government,” Mr. Kumar told reporters outside Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi. He did not rule out taking BJP’s support for forming a new government.

“I tried to work it out....I did not ask for anybody’s resignation...I just asked Tejashwi to explain the charges of corruption,” he said.

 

Asked if he will now form a government with BJP’s support, he said,”Whatever had to happen has happened. Now see what happens next.”

 

Mr. Kumar, who led the grand alliance that also included the Congress to a stunning victory, was sworn in on November 20, 2015.

 

Earlier, JD(U) sources told The Hindu that Mr. Kumar may resign, as chief of the alliance partner, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Lalu Prasad, asserted in the day that his son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav would not resign over corruption charges.