On RJD leader's 'open ashram in 2025' advice to Nitish, JD(U)'s Kushwaha says…

Janata Dal (United)'s Upendra Kushwaha hit out at Tiwari and said people want to see Nitish Kumar at the highest post.

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Shivanand Tiwari has advised Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to open his "ashram" apparently meant to provide political training after handing over the top post to his deputy Tejashwi Yadav in 2025- when the next assembly elections in the state are due.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

"Long ago, Nitish Kumar had said that he will open the ashram and provide political training. I will remind him to open that ashram after making Tejashwi the chief minister in 2025. After that, I will also join you in the ashram and train the political workers there," news agency ANI quoted the senior RJD leader as saying during the party meet on Wednesday. Tiwari once served as the Janata Dal (United) spokesperson before being sacked by the Nitish's party in 2014.

Those who attended the meet included RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, and other senior leaders of the party, ANI said.

JD(U)'s Upendra Kushwaha hit out at Tiwari and said people want to see Nitish Kumar at the highest post. He could look for some ashram if he wanted, the JD(U) leader retorted.

"Nitish Kumar ji is not going to open the ashram yet. The prayers of crores of countrymen are with him, who want Nitish ji to continue to serve the people of India while staying at the highest peak of power. But if you need, you should look for some ashram," the JD(U) leader, who heads party's parliamentary board, said in a tweet in Hindi.

Nitish last month snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and joined hands with the RJD-Congress-Left alliance to form the Bihar government.

Nitish cutting ties with the BJP and his subsequent meetings with leaders of various opposition parties in Delhi has sparked buzz that he could throw his hat in the ring during the 2024 general elections. The Bihar CM has, however, downplayed any such speculation saying he has been focusing on opposition unity to take on the BJP.