Opposition leaders call Nitish Kumar’s switch a ‘timely effort’ to forge unity among secular forces

The Shiv Sena said that Nitish Kumar has created storm which can challenge BJP in 2024

The JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar forming the government in Bihar after dumping the BJP was hailed by several Opposition leaders who called it a payback for engineering the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra and a "timely effort" to forge unity among secular forces.

However, the BJP attacked the JD(U) leader for his switch with Union minister Giriraj Singh saying the RJD will wield real power in Bihar and that Mr. Kumar is serving his last term as Chief Minister.

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Lashing out at the saffron camp, Bihar Congress in-charge Bhakta Charan Das quipped that "BJP-mukt Bihar" is the new message that has been sent out to people.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said Bihar was no "Operation Lotus".

"No cash caught. No ED raids. No Assam CM. No resort travel. All done in characteristic Bihar style, civilised & low-cost. CM gets support of largest party and others. In Maharashtra, BJP engineered defections. In Bihar, BJP was rejected and ejected," he said in a tweet.

The Shiv Sena claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has created a storm by severing ties with the BJP and this storm can pose a challenge to the saffron party in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls if it intensifies into a cyclone.