Dhankhar's resignation a 'BJP conspiracy' to 'shunt' Nitish: RJD

Patna: The opposition RJD in Bihar on Tuesday claimed that the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was a conspiracy hatched by the BJP, aimed at "shunting" Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ahead of the assembly polls.

However, the claim was summarily dismissed by state minister Shravan Kumar, a close aide of the state's longest-serving CM who has been declared as the "face of the NDA" for the upcoming elections.

"For long, the BJP has been wanting to get rid of Nitish Kumar and have its own chief minister. They have grown desperate ahead of the assembly polls, in which the NDA's loss is certain," claimed RJD's chief whip in the assembly, Akhtarul Islam Shahin.

Talking to PTI video, he claimed, "For long, senior BJP leaders have been speaking in favour of shunting Nitish Kumar. Former Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey once went to the extent of advocating that Nitish Kumar be made the deputy prime minister. So, it would not be wrong to conclude that Dhankhar's resignation is a conspiracy by the BJP, aimed at shunting Nitish Kumar by giving him a politically insignificant post like that of the vice president." Late Sushil Kumar Modi, a BJP leader who served as Kumar's deputy for several years, had alleged that Kumar was lobbying for the post of the vice president and when the saffron party, which then had a majority of its own in Lok Sabha, refused to accommodate the JD(U) supremo, he walked out of the NDA.

Kumar had snapped ties with the BJP in 2022, accusing it of trying to "break" the JD(U), only to realign ahead of the Lok Sabha polls last year, which saw his party emerging as a critical ally on which the saffron party now depends for surviving in power at the Centre.

Meanwhile, Shravan Kumar, a senior JD(U) leader, frowned upon the claim made by the RJD leader.

"There is no question of Nitish Kumar leaving Bihar. He will be here, lead the NDA to victory in assembly polls and serve the people of the state, enjoying another term in office," he asserted.

Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons. He sent his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu and said he is stepping down with immediate effect.