Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on January 2 said that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's call for collaboration with Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will remain a dream. Fadnavis said: "The dreams of Lalu Yadav will always remain dreams (Mungeri Lal ke Haseen Sapne hi rahenge). They will never be fulfilled,” Fadnavis said to news agency ANI.
Fadnavis’ comment comes after Yadav said that his doors are open for collaboration with Nitish Kumar for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections this year. In an interview with a YouTube channel on January 1, Yadav stated that the doors are open for CM Kumar to rejoin the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan). This remark from Yadav is significant, especially considering his son, Tejashwi Yadav, has recently made opposing statements.
During the interview, Lalu said: “Nitish Kumar can join us and work together." He reiterated that his doors remain open to both the public and Nitish, adding that if Nitish chooses to return, he would be welcomed and there would be no issues in collaborating again.
Later, Kumar when asked about Lalu's statement, responded dismissively, and said, “Kya bol rahen hain…Chodhiye na." (What are you talking about… just let it go.)
Yadav's gesture towards Kumar comes after a history of fluctuating alliances. Kumar, leader of the Janata Dal (United), has partnered with the RJD twice in the past decade, most recently as part of the Mahagathbandhan, before shifting back to the BJP-led NDA in 2024.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav's son, downplayed his father's comments, suggesting they were made to "satisfy the curiosity of the media." At the swearing-in ceremony of Bihar's new Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, media reports quoted Tejashwi saying: "What else could he (Lalu Yadav) say? He was simply responding to your questions."
During a recent visit to Delhi, Kumar was set to meet BJP president JP Nadda but the plans changed and Kumar returned to Patna without meeting Nadda.
