Rahul praises Nitish Kumar, Naidu

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday made overtures towards key NDA ally JD-U and Third Front partner TDP.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday made overtures towards key National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Third Front partner Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

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Speaking at a press conference here on the last day of campaigning for the fourth leg of the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi said: "Chandrababu Naidu did a reasonably good job.

"He focussed on Hyderabad, he went on the wrong bend perhaps, but I respect him," he said about the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh and the TDP chief.

"I am not saying that only Congress has leaders (who have done good work), there are leaders in the opposition.... Nitish (Kumar), for example," he said, praising the Bihar chief minister.

Reacting to the comments, JD-U spokesperson Shivanand Tiwari told a television channel that "we are thankful that he appreciated the good work done by us but there is no question of joining the UPA (United Progressive Alliance)".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the NDA, said the Congress was desperate.

"It is a sign of desperation. They are wooing the Left despite it saying there is no question, they are wooing the JD-U despite it saying there is no question," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.