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'Very challenging for us to work in Bihar', says BJP leader Samrat Chaudhary
Samrat Chaudhary added that things become easier in states where the BJP has the government of its own. "We have our own governments in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and used to be in power in Jharkhand too."
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Chaudhary on Sunday said that it is not easy to run the government in Bihar, where his party is in alliance with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) or JD(U). Chaudhary also said that there are four ideologies working together in the state.
"We have a coalition government in Bihar, it's not our independent government. It is very challenging for us to work in Bihar as four ideologies are working together - there is JD(U), HAM (founded by Jitan Ram Manjhi) and VIP (founded by Mukesh Sahani). In such a situation, we have to tolerate many things," Chaudhary said while addressing a gathering in Aurangabad.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) were the last minute entrants in BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fold just ahead of the assembly elections in Bihar last year.
Chaudhary added that things become easier in states where the BJP has the government of its own. "We have our own governments in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and used to be in power in Jharkhand too."
Chaudhary, the Panchayati Raj minister in Bihar, said that the BJP accepted Nitish Kumar as the chief minister even though the JD(U) won 43 seats and his party garnered 74. "And this is not the first time. In 2000 also, the JD(U) had won just 37 seats and the BJP won 68-69 seats. Despite this, the party accepted Nitish Kumar as the chief minister."
The leader, who became a minister in Bihar through BJP quota, had last week said that the party should not repeat the mistake of 2015. Addressing the BJP workers in Hajipur, he asked them to be prepared for 2024 General Elections and 2025 assembly polls.
Meanwhile, JD(U) leader Upendra Kushwaha said on Sunday that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is "PM material" and has the potential and all qualities to become the Prime Minister of the country. Asked about whether Nitish Kumar will be projected as the Prime Ministerial face, Kushwaha said, "We are in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and firmly support the alliance. There is no discussion in this for now."
The JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar and the party's RCP Singh had been inducted into the union council of ministers when PM Modi reshuffled his cabinet recently.
JD(U) leader KC Tyagi had announced in June that the party will contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and for that will discuss the seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP, and if it does not work out then they will go it alone.
