Bihar is all set to witness another political shift with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). While Kumar is likely to be sworn in as the CM of the state for the record 9th time. Nitish Kumar is considering two options – in the first case, he may tender his resignation and swear in once again and in the second case, he may replace the RJD-Congress ministers with the BJP and the HAM candidates.

The majority mark in the Bihar assembly is 122 as the house has a total of 243 seats. The BJP has 78 MLAs, the JD(U) 45 and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s four make it 127 making it five more than the majority mark. Now, the number of RJD-Congress-Left is also not far from the majority mark. The RJD has 79 MLAs, Congress 19, Left parties 16 which makes it 114, eight seats short of the majority mark. If the AIMIM’s four MLAs and one independent agree to support RJD, then it needs just three more seats. Tejashwi Yadav has already claimed that the game is yet to begin in Bihar. 

The RJD can form a government in Bihar without JDU only in two cases – first, the speaker disqualifies some of the JDU or BJP MLAs thus reducing the majority mark and in the second case – a rebellion within the JDU or BJP in support of the RJD.  

While certain leaders within the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are reportedly advocating for making a bid to establish the new government, aiming to secure the backing of eight MLAs necessary for the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ to achieve a majority, others, including Tejashwi Yadav, seem unenthusiastic about the prospect. This skepticism arises from the fact that the Janata Dal (United) and the Bharatiya Janata Party jointly hold more than 122 members in the 243-member assembly.

Sources have revealed that all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar have already provided letters expressing their support for Nitish Kumar. Additionally, the BJP and Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) have concluded a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha election scheduled to take place in three months.