Mumbai, Mar 5 (UNI) Congress MLA Nana Patole on Thursday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has repeatedly conspired against and deceived its alliance partners, citing political developments in Maharashtra and Bihar as examples.
He pointed to Maharashtra, where elections were conducted under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, and to Bihar, where assembly polls were held under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. However, in Maharashtra, Shinde became Deputy Chief Minister instead of Chief Minister, and in Bihar, Nitish Kumar has been asked to move to the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking to reporters, the Congress leader said, “The BJP has always conspired with its alliance partners, and Maharashtra is the biggest example of this. Elections were fought under the leadership of Eknath Shinde, the government came to power, but Eknath Shinde did not become the Chief Minister.”
Referring to Bihar’s political situation, Patole added, “In Bihar, elections were fought under the leadership of Nitish Kumar; they (the BJP) won there as well. Now he is being removed from the post of Chief Minister.”
He further alleged that the BJP has a pattern of betraying its allies after coming to power. “The BJP has always deceived its alliance partners,” Patole said.
The Congress alleged that recent political developments in Bihar amount to a “leadership coup” and a betrayal of the people’s mandate, escalating its criticism of the shifting political equations in the state.
Congress general secretary and communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said the party had repeatedly warned about such a possibility during the state’s election campaign. In a post on the social media platform X, Ramesh accused what he described as “G2” of orchestrating a regime change.
“What the Indian National Congress had been saying often during the Bihar election campaign has now come to pass. A leadership coup and regime change orchestrated by G2 has taken place. It is, in many ways, a huge betrayal of the mandate of the people,” Ramesh wrote.
While the Congress leader did not elaborate on the reference to “G2,” the remarks come amid intense political churn in Bihar, amid reports that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has expressed a desire to seek election to the Rajya Sabha, triggering speculation over who will lead the state. The development reportedly exposes underlying tensions between the ruling allies the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janata Dal (United).
The Congress has been part of opposition alliances in Bihar and has often criticised what it calls opportunistic political realignments that disregard the verdict of voters. Party leaders have argued that such developments undermine democratic norms and the spirit of coalition mandates.
