RJD Claims Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu May Break Away from NDA

New Delhi, 4th June 2024: In a surprising turn of events, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has put forward a claim suggesting that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu are on the brink of breaking away from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA to forge a new government with the opposition coalition. According to an RJD representative, this potential move stems from a mutual aversion to what they perceive as vendetta politics.

RJD national spokesperson Manoj Kumar Jha referenced Nitish Kumar’s previous forecast that “those in power would be ousted in 2024,” along with his efforts in establishing the INDIA bloc, a coalition aimed at altering the political landscape.

“We have had prior alliances with both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu. We understand their shared distaste for the vindictive politics associated with the BJP. There appears to be a shift in Narendra Modi’s position. We remain optimistic that these two leaders will play a pivotal role in the forthcoming changes at the national level,” Jha stated.

It is worth noting that spokespersons from both the TDP and JD(U) have previously endorsed Narendra Modi as India’s next prime minister, according to Reuters.

When questioned about communication between his party’s leaders, including national president Lalu Prasad and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, and Kumar, Jha cryptically responded, “Those who need to communicate with him are doing so. Our leader Tejashwi Yadav has hinted for some time now that Nitish Kumar will make a significant decision around June 4.”

He clarified, “I am not making any appeals to Nitish Kumar or Chandrababu Naidu. I am simply expressing my hope based on my understanding of their inclinations.”

Significantly, the JD(U) has outperformed expectations in the recent Lok Sabha elections, leading in 14 of the 16 seats it contested, surpassing the BJP, which contested 17 seats but trailed in five.

In Bihar, the INDIA bloc was ahead in only eight out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats. Despite concerns about the slow counting process, Jha expressed confidence that the coalition’s fortunes would improve in the state.

Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) was previously part of the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties formed to challenge the BJP-led NDA ahead of the 2024 elections. However, a few months before the polls, he switched sides to join the NDA, a move characteristic of his history of shifting alliances.