Amit Shah invites Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to join NDA

New Delhi: BJP president Amit Shah has formally invited Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar to join the National Democratic Alliance, following the latter's alliance with the saffron party in the state to form a new government.

"I met JD (U) president Nitish Kumar at my residence yesterday. I invited JD (U) to join the NDA," Shah said in a tweet on Saturday.

Shah's invitation to Nitish Kumar has come at a time when the JD(U) is staring at a possible split.

Former JD (U) president Sharad Yadav and his Rajya Sabha colleague from the party Ali Anwar have openly rebelled against Nitish Kumar's decision to join hands with the BJP.

Nitish Kumar met Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday in the national capital. Nitish Kumar is expected to make a formal announcement of joining the NDA at the national executive meet of JD (U) in Patna on August 19.

Asked if the party would join the Modi cabinet, a JD (U) leader said such a decision would be "natural". "When we are together in government in Bihar, it is only natural that our party joins the Union government," he said.

Nitish Kumar had snapped ties with the RJD and the Congress after the then Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav refused to resign in the wake of corruption charges levelled against him. Raids were conducted against him and Yadav family members by central agencies in connection with a case of illegal assets.

"I have been doing my best to provide good governance. But the circumstances have so developed that it was difficult for a person like me to continue to be in power. That is why I met the Governor and gave my resignation," Nitish Kumar had said.

He then partnered with the BJP and took oath as the Bihar Chief Minister.