Mission 2019: What Nitish alliance means for PM Modi and BJP?

Bihar's chief minister and leader of Janata Dal United party Nitish Kumar poses in front of a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi after an interview with Reuters in the eastern Indian city of Patna, in Bihar state, January 8, 2012. When India launched reforms to open up its state-stifled economy 20 years ago, many states surged ahead, leaving behind the 3.5 percent "Hindu rate of growth" that had plagued the decades after the country's independence from Britain in 1947, and with it Bihar. Picture taken January 8, 2012. To match Insight INDIA-BIHAR/ REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) - RTR2X3NZ

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned on Wednesday evening after a prolonged rift with the ally Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) senior leadership, only to return on Thursday.

Within hours of him submitting his resignation to the Governor, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) jumped in to extend support for Kumar's Janata Dal (United).

On Thursday, Nitish Kumar was again sworn-in as the Bihar Chief Minister.

Nitish Kumar returns as the Bihar CM: Catch the LIVE updates here.

JD (U) which has 71 seats in the assembly will easily surpass the half-way mark with BJP's 53 seats and help BJP return to power in Bihar.

Nitish Kumar, who has a history of political manoeuvring, had broken away from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2013 after Narendra Modi was chosen as the de facto Prime Ministerial candidate.

Effects of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls

JD (U)'s return to the NDA fold marks a significant shift in the fortunes of the Opposition parties.

Nitish Kumar was seen by political experts as the strongest face of what is called the "united Opposition" or the "Grand Alliance" and was touted as a Prime Ministerial candidate by many.

With Bihar, the Opposition was hoping for a strong Grand Alliance for 2019.

Now, with this Gathbandhan, BJP will lead 18 states in India, strengthening its position for the 2019 elections.

With the recent wins in four out of the five states for the BJP, the NDA is expected to continue its strong performance in the years to come. The new alliance will further boost NDA's chances in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The political manoeuvring undertaken by Nitish Kumar has decimated unity within the opposition and will severely dent their chances.

Nitish's alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's NDA is likely to spell doom for the 'united opposition' in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.