At a meeting of the newly elected members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Friday, Nitish Kumar fulfilled the formality of appointing Narendra Modi as Prime Minister for a third term.
The Bihar Chief Minister also poked fun at his former allies, saying the group “has not done any work for the country.” He first made his nickname, “paltu Kumar,” clear in January when he switched from the INDIA opposition bloc he helped form to the BJP’s side. In response to those who anticipated a sixth political reversal in a decade, the JDU chief further stated, “I will be with PM at all times”.

Nitish Kumar’s declaration of support for Mr. Modi also addressed rumors that he had been contacted by the INDIA bloc, which had defied exit polls to win 232 seats and reduce the BJP’s lead.
After the Lok Sabha election, the JDU leader emerged as one of two kingmakers. With 12 MPs from his party and 16 from Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, the JDU leader will be crucial to Mr. Modi’s party’s ability to form and lead the government, as it was unable to secure a majority of 272 seats on its own; the BJP has 240 seats.

With just 25 seats, the rest of the NDA is unable to help the BJP win the majority.