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Nitish conveyed reason for absence to Centre, says party
The Bihar CM's JD(U), which governs the state in alliance with the BJP, which has a government at the Centre, has dismissed speculations that Kumar's absence from the meeting of chief ministers called by the Union law ministry was an indication of souring relations between the two allies.
New Delhi: The Janata Dal United dismissed speculation that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s absence from the meeting of chief ministers called by the Union law ministry was an indication of souring relations between the party and and ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Both parties run an alliance government in Bihar and the JD(U) is a prominent partner in the BIP-led National Democratic Alliance or the NDA that is in power at the Centre.
“The chief minister informed a senior minister in the Union government — days in advance — that he would not be able to make it to the conference owing to a personal reason. There is no political messaging here nor any other speculated reason for his absence,” a minister in the Bihar government said on Saturday.
Kumar’s decision to send the state’s law minister to represent him at the meeting fuelled speculation of deepening fissures in the alliance. The minister quoted above said those who are attributing motives to the CM’s presence at the inauguration of a greenfield grain-based ethanol plant in Bihar’s Purnia on Saturday should consider that the event was being organised by the ministry of industries, a portfolio that is with the BJP.
“The programme in Purnia is being organised by the minister of industry Shahnawaz Hussain who is a BJP leader,” the minister said.
Speculation of strife between the allies was stoked when a section of BJP leaders such as Vinay Bihari made comments about replacing the CM.
Kumar’s presence at an iftar event hosted by the RJD also raised eyebrows in the BJP and was read as an indication of the JD(U) warming up to its former ally.
In recent months the NDA allies have taken a divergent view on a bunch of issues such as the need for a uniform civil code, the demand for a caste-based census and the use of loudspeakers at places of worship.
In March, Kumar lashed out at assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on the floor of the House. The standoff that hit the headlines was also read as a manifestation of growing discomfort within the alliance.
The BJP has also downplayed the differences. A senior party leader in Delhi said, “As on date the alliance government with Nitish Kumar as the CM is good for the state’s development. The government will complete its term in office and there is no truth to speculation that the BJP wants to replace the CM.”
