Former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday sparked rumours in Bihar by saying that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will be welcomed in the Mahagathbandhan (Congress, RJD and others) if he decides to leave the BJP-led NDA government in the state. His statement left the people guessing whether Nitish Kumar is considering another flip-flop just ahead of the Bihar Assembly Election, which is expected to be held later this year. Lalu further stated that all differences between the RJD and JDU will be forgotten if Nitish decides to come back.

Lalu Yadav, in an interview with a local YouTube channel, said that if Nitish Kumar decides to return to the Mahagathbandhan, the alliance will take him along. "If Nitish Kumar comes, why wouldn't we take him along? Let’s stay together and work together. Our doors are open (for Nitish). He should also unbolt his gates. This would facilitate movement of people from both sides." Regarding whether RJD will form an alliance with Nitish's JDU, Lalu said, "Yes, we will accept him. We will forgive all his mistakes; forgiveness is our duty."

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When questioned about his role as the party's supremo and the final decision-making authority in the RJD, Lalu replied, "We take decisions, but it doesn't suit Nitish Kumar. He keeps running away repeatedly. He leaves. If he comes back again, we will keep him."

How Nitish Kumar Reacted:

Lalu Yadav's comment has sparked rumours in the Bihar political circles with many speculating another upheaval ahead of the Bihar Assembly Election 2025. However, responding to questions regarding Lalu Yadav's statements, Nitish Kumar kept mum and evaded the queries and with folded hands said, "Kya bol rahen hain, Chodhiye na" (What are you saying, just leave it).

Meanwhile, former JDU president and a close confidante of Nitish Kumar, Lallan Singh dismissed the debate and said that JDU is with the NDA with full "firmness". "We are with the NDA and with full firmness. I cannot react to what people say - there is freedom of expression, people can say whatever they want," Lallan Singh said on Lalu Yadav's remarks.

The BJP, an ally of the JDU-led Bihar government, also rejected Lalu's offer and said that RJD supremo is scared to lose the upcoming elections. Reacting to the statement, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Chaudhary said, "Nitish Kumar knows Lalu Prasad Yadav inside out. Lalu Prasad Yadav is just scared."

Tejashwi Yadav's Reaction:

Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav, however, sought to downplay the remarks made by his father, claiming that the RJD supremo had merely tried to satisfy the curiosity of the prying media. Tejashwi Yadav, who had on Wednesday declared that the new year will see the "departure" of the NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar, said, "I have already made my stand clear".

When probed further, concerning the utterances of his father, Yadav said, "What would he do if people like you keep coming to him with the same question? Whatever he said must have been aimed at putting an end to curiosity of you journalists."

However, RJD ally Congress also showed interest in welcoming Nitish Kumar in the Mahagathbandhan. Reacting to Lalu's offer, Congress leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan said, "If followers of Gandhi detach themselves from the followers of Godse, then we are with them."

Kumar had aligned twice with the RJD, a constituent of the INDIA bloc, in the last decade. However, he jumped ship on both occasions, leading to the fall of the Mahagathbandhan government in the state. The remark, coming in the backdrop of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's stance on projecting Nitish Kumar as the NDA's face in the upcoming assembly polls, triggered intense speculations in a section of the media.