Editor's Pick | Nitish Kumar switches sides yet again, takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister

Janata Dal (United) President Nitish Kumar on Sunday took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record ninth time. This also marks his return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which he had quit in August 2022. The JD(U) had been an NDA ally for long periods since the 1990s. Over the years, Mr. Kumar has come to be famous for switching his political loyalties often. Since November 2005, he has made repeated turnarounds to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. The latest episode is his fifth switch since 2015. Mr. Kumar said that his latest switch was “in the interest of Bihar”. Six ministers and two Deputy Chief Ministers – all from BJP – were also sworn in with him. While the BJP said that its renewed “alliance with the JD(U) happened for the development of Bihar,” the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), with which Mr. Kumar has broken up again, said, “The game is not over yet.” “I took this decision [to join hands with the BJP again] in the interest of Bihar. I came where I was earlier, and had gone somewhere in between, but now got freedom from where I was. Nothing was being done there. Since things were not working well in the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and no work was being done from their [RJD] side on what JD(U) was doing; after listening to everyone, I decided to dissolve this government to form the NDA government,” Mr. Kumar told the press after tendering his resignation to Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar. The new NDA government in the State now has the support of 128 MLAs — 78 from the BJP, 45 from the JD(U), four from HAM(S) and one Independent — while the mahagathbandhan, now in the Opposition, has the support of 115 legislators, including 79 from the RJD, 19 from the Congress, 16 from the Left, and one from AIMIM, in the 243 member State Assembly. The INDIA bloc has been united in denouncing Mr. Kumar’s switch. The Hindu’s Editorials Ceremony and substance: On the Macron visit, India-France ties Momentous ruling: On Israel and the International Court of Justice order The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Reunion is an island, that belongs to which country? France Austria Italy Spain To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 29 January 2024 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Nitish Kumar switches sides yet again, takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister Janata Dal (United) President Nitish Kumar on Sunday [took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar]( for a record ninth time. This also marks his return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which he had quit in August 2022. The JD(U) had been an NDA ally for long periods since the 1990s. Over the years, Mr. Kumar has [come to be famous for switching his political loyalties often](. Since November 2005, he has made repeated turnarounds to remain the Chief Minister of Bihar. The latest episode is his fifth switch since 2015. Mr. Kumar said that his latest switch was “in the interest of Bihar”. Six ministers and two Deputy Chief Ministers – all from BJP – were also sworn in with him. While the BJP said that its renewed “alliance with the JD(U) happened for the development of Bihar,” the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), with which Mr. Kumar has broken up again, said, “The game is not over yet.”  “I took this decision [to join hands with the BJP again] in the interest of Bihar. I came where I was earlier, and had gone somewhere in between, but now got freedom from where I was. Nothing was being done there. Since things were not working well in the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and no work was being done from their [RJD] side on what JD(U) was doing; after listening to everyone, I decided to dissolve this government to form the NDA government,” Mr. Kumar told the press after tendering his resignation to Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar.  The new NDA government in the State now has the support of 128 MLAs — 78 from the BJP, 45 from the JD(U), four from HAM(S) and one Independent — while the mahagathbandhan, now in the Opposition, has the support of 115 legislators, including 79 from the RJD, 19 from the Congress, 16 from the Left, and one from AIMIM, in the 243 member State Assembly. [The INDIA bloc has been united in denouncing Mr. Kumar’s switch](. 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