PATNA (TIP): A day after his party JD (U)’s poor show in the Lok Sabha elections, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar resigned on Saturday. The JD (U) had managed to get just 2 seats out 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Kumar has submitted his resignation to governor D Y Patil. Kumar’s resignation has come amid reports of dissent in the party following the poor show in the general elections.
“He has taken responsibility for the loss, we decided to seek a fresh mandate,” JD (U) leader Ali Anwar said. The resignation comes just hours after LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan asserted that the Nitish Kumar government would fall within two to three months and mid-term assembly polls would be held in October-November this year.
“Nitish Kumar government will not last long,” Paswan said had said on May 16 after results of general elections were announced. “Nitish Kumar should resign soon on moral grounds after the major debacle of his party in the polls,” LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan had told media persons.
The CM’s resignation that was on card since the reports of his party’s near washout started coming on Friday. The CM remained inside his official residence throughout the day and in the evening posted a one line post on Facebook: “I respect the people’s verdict.” BJP leaders who were in highly upbeat mood over the unexpected victory had started demanding CM’s resignation. Sushil Modi said Nitish should quit on moral grounds.