In Bihar, India’s third-most populous state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party lost control on Tuesday as a regional ally joined an opposition coalition that now has the majority needed to create the country’s next government.
The breakdown in government in Bihar is a rare defeat for Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which controls politics in the nation and sends the fourth most elected legislators to parliament.
The partnership in Bihar disintegrated ahead of the general election in 2024, which the BJP is still predicted to win for a third straight term unless several opposition parties can unite to defeat Modi’s support.
Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar and a member of the local Janata Dal (United) party, told reporters that he resigned after his fellow party members suggested leaving the BJP partnership. He said that the BJP was attempting to damage his party, a claim that was refuted by the BJP.
