‘Door can be opened if needed…’: Sushil Modi on possible return of Nitish-led JD(U) to NDA

New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday said that the door can be opened if needed, indicating a possible revival of ties between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar -led JDU and his former ally, the BJP.

Speaking to the reporters here, Sushil Kumar Modi, who once had stated that all the doors are closed even if Nitish Kumar wanted to return to NDA, said on Friday, ‘no door is permanently closed in politics’.

“We are keeping an eye on all the developments and if needed an appropriate decision will be taken. No door is permanently closed in politics and the door can be opened if needed…” Sushil Modi said.

The statement came in the backdrop of speculations that Kumar, the JD(U) president, could pull out of the Mahagathbandhan and return to the NDA, led by the BJP, as his equations with INDIA bloc partners reportedly turned sour.

The unity of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) appeared in jeopardy amid growing speculation that Nitish Kumar, a key figure in the bloc may exit the 28-party Opposition bloc, formed to take on the BJP-led Central government.

It all started when Former Bihar Chief Minister and RJD President Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya took a swipe at RJD’s ruling ally, JDU, on X posting that while the ‘socialist party’ (JDU) styles itself as progressive, its ideology shifts with the changing wind patterns, a statement which triggered cracks within the ruling alliance.

However, a few hours later, all three posts by Lalu’s daughter were deleted.

The INDIA bloc is largely a creation of Nitish Kumar, who crisscrossed the country to pull together opposition parties, including those not always friendly with the Congress.

If Nitish crosses over, this would be the fourth time he would be switching sides.

In the Bihar Assembly of 243, the RJD has 79 MLAs; followed by the BJP’s 78; the JD(U)’s 45′ the Congress’s 19, the CPI (M-L)’s 12, two each of the CPI(M) and CPI, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)’s four seats, and the AIMIM’s one, plus one Independent legislator.

Amid talk of a deepening rift, the RJD and JD(U), on Thursday, held separate meetings while BJP state president Samrat Choudhary left for Delhi to hold discussions with top BJP leaders.

Sushil Modi was Deputy Chief Minister in the NDA government in Bihar in 2022, before Janata Dal (United) supremo Nitish Kumar severed ties with the ally BJP and partnered with the RJD and the Congress again.

Armed with the support of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) Kumar quit the BJP in August 2022 and stripped the party out of power.