It feels like déjà vu all over again. Nitish Kumar is back to where he was in early 2022 — with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Sunday (28 January), the Janata Dal (United) {JD(U)} chief took the oath of office for the ninth time with the support of the BJP, after dumping his former allies — the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the INDIA bloc.
It’s no surprise that the JD(U)’s flip — fifth time in over 10 years — has earned him the title of ‘Paltu Ram’ in Bihar politics.
Shortly after he took the oath of chief minister, he was congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders. On the other hand, leaders from the INDIA alliance voiced their displeasure with the veteran politician, with some even describing him as a turncoat and ‘girgit’ (chameleon).
