![Police barricades seen outside Bihar CM House ahead of the crucial meeting on January 28, 2024](https://i0.wp.com/www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png?ssl=1)
Police barricades seen outside Bihar CM House ahead of the crucial meeting on January 28, 2024
Following days of speculation, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is chairing a meeting of Janata Dal (United) MLAs at his residence on January 28. The meeting comes as the political landscape of the State has entered into a crisis mode as Mr. Kumar is expected to break away from the Mahagathbandhan in order to reunite with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Key parties in the State, including the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Congress have spent the last few days shoring up their options and holding meetings to decide the next steps. The RJD, along with whom Mr. Kumar had formed mahagathbandhan government in August 2022, held a crisis meeting with party legislators at Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav’s official residence. Meanwhile, the Congress party is huddling with party legislators at Purnia where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is scheduled to reach on January 30.
If Mr. Kumar returns to the NDA fold, it will be his fifth turnaround since November 2005, while being the Chief Minister. Last, he had severed ties with the BJP in August 2022 to join hands with the RJD, the Congress and other Left parties to form the grand alliance and also to remain in power. Sources in the JD(U) said that he has been upset over the lack of clarity in the INDIA bloc regarding preparedness for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha poll.
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