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JP Nadda vs Nitish Kumar months after alliance broke: 'Deceived Bihar...'

JP Nadda lashed out at Nitish Kumar for snapping off ties with the BJP.

Published on: Jan 3, 2023, 17:52:14 IST
By , New Delhi
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Months after Nitish Kumar chose to part ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Bihar and join the Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), BJP chief JP Nadda on Tuesday lashed out at the former ally during his visit to the state. "I don't know why did Nitish ji choose to do what he did. But what was he thinking? He did not care about the people of the state? The BJP, our people wanted to take the state towards development," Nadda said at an event in the Muzaffarpur district.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar (HT File Photo)
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar (HT File Photo)

JP Nadda also took a tacit reference to RJD leader Sudhakar Singh's comment on the Bihar Chief Minister. Singh had called him "Shikhandi" - transgender warrior from Hindu epic Mahabharata - in a bid to insult him, stressing that Nitish "can't take a stand". The remark drew criticism from RJD and JD(U) leaders.

"I don't want to use the word what is being used for him," Nadda said, roaring at an event. "But Nitish ji disrespected the people of Bihar. He deceived them. We have to give him a reply in a democratic manner," the BJP chief further said, underlining that "there is 'jungle-raj' in Bihar today. There is no law and order in the state. The time has come when the BJP should lead Bihar."

But while he was being targeted, Nitish Kumar shot back too at his former coalition partner. "They (BJP) do not work for the country, they work for themselves and that is why our party broke the alliance with them," the Chief Minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

His comments come as he prepares to hold a statewide yatra from Thursday, which is expected to kick off from an Ashram set up by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. "I will visit all places and meet people during the yatra. We are in contact with the opposition and based on it we will take decisions together," Nitish Kumar said on Tuesday.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)

  • Swati Bhasin
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    Swati Bhasin

    A newsroom junkie with 11+ years of experience with print and online publications; travel and books are the soup for the soul.

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