Today Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar entertained spokespersons from his party with a sketch of his past political career. But the agenda of the interaction was to make it clear that a ceasefire has been crafted with ally Lalu Yadav, and that the name-calling that is exactly a week old must end.
With the Janta Dal (United)’s decision to back NDA’s presidential nominee Mr. Kovind under intense scrutiny, spokesperson KC Tyagi also referred to their party’s “natural” relations with the Bharatiya Janata Party when it was part of the NDA. Subtle digs are apparently sanctioned: a senior leader from Nitish Kumar’s Janta Dal United (JDU) party, Mr. KC Tyagi, said in Delhi that former ally BJP “never made us feel uneasy at any stage”, a remark designed to remind the CM’s partners that he’s open to exploring. Currently, Nitish Kumar runs his government with Lalu Yadav and the Congress. Last week, he terminated an understanding with these parties to oppose the BJP’s choice for President of India in this election and announced he will vote with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its candidate, Ram Nath Kovind, who was the Governor of Bihar.
According to Mr. Kumar, “It would be churlish to vote against Ram Nath Kovind who has such a strong link to Bihar.
Mr. K C Tyagi took strong exception to Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s comments on the Bihar CM for his support to Ram Nath Kovind. Today Ghulam Azad had said that those who have one principle, took one decision and those who have many, took different decisions, a jibe aimed at Kumar. Mr. Tyagi told reporters that “Our support to R N Kovind is an isolated incident. Why are some people bent on making it permanent with such comments? Why are they shortening the life of our grand alliance? Ghulam Nabi’s comments are not in good taste. Obviously, these are unfriendly. We have never made this type of critical remarks against any Congress leaders”.
The Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s breakfast gathering today morning was a reciprocal gesture. But his other ally, the National Congress, gets no reprieve. On Monday, Congress leader Ghulam Azad accused the CM of being ruled by several principles to charge him abandoning ideology to the team with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Presidential election on July 17. Mr. Tyagi said, “We are not a part of the UPA,” referring to the Congress-led coalition that lost the national election in 3years ago. CM Nitish Kumar’s approach to the Presidential election is seen as a giveaway of an increasing desire to cut his current alliance and partner again with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Mr. Nitish Kumar has enough votes to remain in office, between his party JDU and the BJP. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s children are being investigated for corruption by Central investigation agencies, and being in power is to his advantage given the speed at which the cases against the family are accelerating.
