PATNA, July 26: Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Kumar has submitted his resignation to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. The decision to quit was taken by Kumar at a meeting of JDU MLAs on Wednesday evening. The MLAs reportedly endorsed his decision to quit. The latest development will only widen the rift between the two parties.

Talking to media after his resignation, Kumar said his decision to step down in the interest of Bihar. “Ever since the corruption charges were levelled against RJD leaders, we have been asking them to at least explain those charges. We also met Tejashwi and told him that the image that is being created, he should clarify all that. But this did not happen. The situation got so worse that it became difficult for me to work. We had followed the Gathbandhan Dharma and had tried to protect it. But now my conscience does not allow me to continue,’ said Kumar.

He also said that he had spoken to Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi on the matter. “There are many Congress leaders in Bihar. We also asked them to find a solution to all this. So now I have decided to keep myself away,” said Kumar adding that his resignation has been accepted by the governor.

The meeting of JDU MLAs was chaired by Kumar amid rift with RJD over the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. The resignation of Kumar came hours after RJP chief Lalu Prasad Yadav ruled out the stepping down of his son Tejashwi. “Tejashwi Yadav will not resign, Nitish Kumar didn’t ask for his resignation,” Lalu had said at a press briefing. He had maintained that there is no bitterness between him and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. “No bitterness between me and Nitish. Spoke to him yesterday. Media trying to crack our alliance,” Lalu Prasad said.

 
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