Noted election strategist Prashant Kishor’s offer to quit as JD (U)’s national vice-president after his much-publicised criticism of the party’s support to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) has been turned down by party boss and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said sources to HT.
Kishor evaded questions on his resignation after emerging from a two-hour-long meeting with Nitish Kumar on Saturday evening and said his views on CAA and NRC (National Register of Citizens) had not changed.
“I met CM and put my views before the party national president and explained how the amended citizenships Act and the NRC together would be disastrous for the country. I stand by my statement. Now, a decision has to be taken by Nitish Kumar,” Kishor said.
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Sources say Kumar assured Kishor that his government will not implement the NRC in Bihar. The meeting at Nitish Kumar’s Patna residence was held amidst speculations that Kishor may be asked to toe the party line.
Kishor had posted a series of anti- CAB tweets suggesting Nitish Kumar made a mistake by supporting the BJP on the bill leading to party’s embarrassment and calls for his ouster. Kishor, however, said he was not shaken by the demands and utterances of party leaders.
JD(U) national general secretary R C P Singh, who is close to Nitish, had lambasted Kishor’s utterances and called him a leader recruited “on compassionate grounds”.
Kishor played down Singh’s jibe and said he had been advised by the CM to not pay heed to criticism by other leaders.
Kishor is not completely isolated in the JD(U) over his stance which was backed by party spokesperson Pavan Verma and MLC Gulam Rasool Balyawi.
{{/usCountry}}Kishor is not completely isolated in the JD(U) over his stance which was backed by party spokesperson Pavan Verma and MLC Gulam Rasool Balyawi.
{{/usCountry}}Balyawi also faced the heat of party leaders after he took part in a protest march against the CAB.