Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared on Wednesday that he intends to remain in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) indefinitely, expressing his commitment to working for the people of Bihar.
His announcement follows the recent political realignment where he parted ways with the Mahagathbandhan and the INDIA bloc to establish a new government in collaboration with the BJP in Bihar.
Nitish Kumar criticised the opposition's coalition, INDIA, for not considering his suggestions for an alternative alliance name.
He said, "I was urging them to choose another name for the alliance. But they had already finalised it. I was trying so hard. They did not do even one thing. Till today they haven't decided which party will contest how many seats."
Emphasising his return to the NDA, he affirmed, "Now I will stay here forever. I will keep working for the people of Bihar."
The new government, formed with BJP's support, is set to seek a trust vote in the state assembly on February 10.
Nitish Kumar's decision prompted criticism from Congress and RJD, accusing him of frequent political shifts.
Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh remarked, "I thought Narendra Modi was a master of U-turns... but Nitish Kumar has left even the master of U-turns behind." This marks Nitish Kumar's ninth term as Chief Minister, having switched political affiliations for the fifth time in just over a decade.
In the recent swearing-in ceremony, two Deputy Chief Ministers from the BJP, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with six other ministers, including Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Santosh Kumar Suman, Shrawan Kumar, and others, also took the oath of office.