The collision in the coalition of BJP and Janata Dal (United) in Bihar has resulted in the changeover of power as after breaking the alliance with the BJP and joining with the rival Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nitish Kumar on Wednesday - August 10 took oath as the Bihar Chief Minister for the eighth time while RJD's Tejaswi Yadav has become the Deputy Chief Minister. 

The oath-taking ceremony was held in Raj Bhavan in Patna and Bihar's Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath to Nitish Kumar. The ceremony was kept austere in the midst of a national spotlight as the event has become crucial in Nitish Kumar's political career. He took as the Chief Minister a day after he resigned from the post in the aftermath of the political crisis where Nitish Kumar parted ways with the BJP for the second time in eight years. 

The events that unfolded in Patna were akin to what happened in Bihar several years ago where Nitish Kumar staged a drama of alliance transition and with the support of the BJP, he became the Chief Minister a day after he resigned from the post. Now, years later, Nitish Kumar has taken oath as the Chief Minister with the backing of his rival, a day after relinquishing his ties with the BJP.

For Nitish Kumar, it will be his significant political innings that he will be playing with his rival and if he cements the stage with a promising play, he would lead an unequivocal team of parties against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Nitish Kumar has also been speculated to be the candidate to take on Modi in the upcoming national elections. But after becoming the Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has denied any such candidacy and given a huge challenge to Modi. 

Responding to the question of whether he will be contending against Modi in 2014, Nitish Kumar has affirmed that he is not a contender for anything. Challenging Modi in the 2024 polls, Nitish Kumar said, "The question to ask is if the person who came in 2014 will win in 2024." The political analysts say that it was a big blow for BJP as the Central ruling party has been losing its closest aides. After losing Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena, it has now lost Nitish Kumar. 

Nitish Kumar could possibly be an irking face for the BJP in the crucial belt of voters if he strengthens his alliance with RJD and Congress. Bihar will go for the assembly polls in 2025 a year after the Lok Sabha polls. As Nitish Kumar changed the story in a day, he took oath as the Chief Minister and he has been in the flood of wishes from the party functionaries and opposition leaders.

RJD's Tejashwi Yadav has said that Nitish Kumar is the most experienced Chief Minister in India right now. In the coming days, more ministers will take an oath and join the new Nitish Kumar administration. On the other hand, Nitish Kumar has drawn the wrath of the BJP which accused Nitish Kumar of betraying the people of Bihar. BJP's Bihar Chief Sanjay Jaiswal said, "We fought the 2020 polls together under NDA. The mandate was for the JD(U)- BJP alliance. We (BJP) won more seats, but Nitish Kumar was made the CM. Whatever happened today is a betrayal of Bihar's people and the BJP." 

Must read: In Bihar, it's BJP which got toppled: Explaining Nitish Kumar's game to revolt against the alliance!