Nitish Kumar Set to Break with Congress Alliance, Re-ally BJP in Bihar Ahead of National Elections
• Nitish Kumar likely to exit Mahagathbandhan alliance in Bihar and re-ally with BJP ahead of Lok Sabha polls, his 5th major political flip since 2013
• Speculation triggered after PM Modi awards former Bihar CM and Nitish's mentor Karpoori Thakur a posthumous Bharat Ratna
• Award seen as strategic move by BJP to gain support of backward communities that revere Thakur in Bihar's 40 Lok Sabha seats
• May have added pressure on Nitish to exit Congress alliance he was already unhappy with and return to BJP
• Tie-up risks Nitish's tendency to frequently change allies, but would give BJP wider appeal for elections where they want to hit 400 seat target