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Working to forge unity in Opposition: Nitish Kumar
Asked if the people of Bihar could one day see him as the prime minister, Nitish said: “Please do not ask me such questions, I have said many times that I harbour no such ambitions. I want to serve my state.”
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday reiterated that he was not in the race to become prime minister but is working to play a “positive” role in forging Opposition unity against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.
The Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) leader also made light of apprehensions of possible misuse of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the new dispensation in Bihar, that came to power after ousting the BJP earlier this week, and said “those habituated to misuse will face public ire”.
Asked if the people of Bihar could one day see him as the prime minister, Nitish said: “Please do not ask me such questions, I have said many times that I harbour no such ambitions. I want to serve my state.”
It was for the second time that the JD(U), on Tuesday, broke its alliance with the BJP to re-align with the RJD-led opposition — the first was in 2013 when the party exited after 17 years in the NDA.
The BJP accused Nitish of “back-stabbing” the party and blamed his prime ministerial ambition for his decision. Former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi also alleged that Nitish quit after his ambition to become the vice president did not materialise.
The JD(U) leader stressed that his effort would be to bring all Opposition parties together, as it was the need of the hour. “We are working positively in that direction. Many people are calling. All Opposition parties must come together. You will see some action in the days to come,” he said.
To a query about the fear of the ED and the CBI being unleashed on the ruling dispensation, he said: “I have no such fears. Remember one thing, even if a habit has been formed of misuse (of agencies), those indulging in the same will be closely watched by the people.”
Opposition parties have often accused the Centre of misusing central agencies to harass Opposition leaders and further its political agenda.
On deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav’s apprehension about possible cuts in central assistance to the state in the wake of the recent political developments, Nitish said: “Everything is prescribed in the Constitution about the rights of the states. The claims of the states from the revenue collected by the Centre are also laid down. If there is any problem in that, the Centre will have to do the answering.”
“What the Centre must do is all laid down (in the Constitution). We will see how things go from here,” he added.
Nitish said it was a “collective decision” of the party to split with the NDA.
“...I accepted it (the decision). The manner in which the situation was evolving, it was aimed at creating tension in the society,” he said.
Reacting to speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha’s refusal to quit, Nitish said the provisions in the Constitution were known to all. Sinha is a senior BJP leader.
Nitish should refrain from making statements about independent agencies, BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said.
“He should know that the country always runs according to the Constitution and that independent agencies work as per their mandate. Can he name any CBI/ED probe which should not have taken place? Is he saying that the CBI probe against (RJD chief) Lalu Prasad was wrong?” Anand said.
“...If he feels such things will strengthen Opposition unity, then my best wishes to him,” he added.
