BJP general secretary Arun Jaitley hastened to clarify on Monday that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s comment in a television interview that he had kept his post poll options open, had been quoted grossly out of context.
“I spoke to Nitish and he too expressed surprise at the slant given to his remarks,” said Jaitley. “I’d urge the media not to give desperate angles to what political leaders say.”
Taking Nitish’s purported comment further, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari had earlier commended him for it, adding that Nitish was uncomfortable with his alliance with the ‘communal BJP’.
Jaitely noted that a fortnight ago, Nitish had already ruled out any truck with the UPA or the Third Front.
Jaitley went on to slam external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee for claiming that the NDA was disintegrating. “Contrary to his assertion, it is the UPA which is becoming a chapter in history,” he said.
“In 134 Lok Sabha seats across UP, Bihar and Jharkhand, the Congress is weaker than allies,” he added. “In Maharashtra, the Congress has an alliance but no ally. In Tamil Nadu, there is an alliance but it is losing the power to deliver seats.”
Unlike the UPA, Jaitley pointed out, the NDA was not engaged in ‘friendly fights’, a contradiction in terms. “The Congress is just trying to divert attention from its own problems.”
{{/usCountry}}Unlike the UPA, Jaitley pointed out, the NDA was not engaged in ‘friendly fights’, a contradiction in terms. “The Congress is just trying to divert attention from its own problems.”
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