Patna, Mar 10 (PTI) The new government to be formed in Bihar will continue to work under Nitish Kumar’s guidance even after the JD(U) president’s election to the Rajya Sabha, which will require him to give up the seat of power, state ministers asserted on Tuesday.
The averment came from minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, who is a senior JD(U) leader, and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, who belongs to the BJP, which is expected to make a grab for the CM’s post once Kumar gives it up.
The ministers were accompanying Kumar to Supaul and Madhepura districts as part of ‘Samriddhi Yatra’, which was launched in January and resumed after a month-long break because of the assembly session.
“Nitish Kumar is a man of firm convictions. It is not possible to sway him once a decision has been made by him. Still, we have agreed to his decision to move to Rajya Sabha only on the condition that he shall continue to guide the new government,” the JD(U) leader told public meetings in both places.
The deputy CM, who is being seen as a frontrunner for the top job, said, “Nitish Kumar has transformed Bihar, where the budget has grown from a mere Rs 6,000 crore to well over Rs 2 lakh crore. The state shall always continue to be inspired by his vision.” Kumar, who turned 75 earlier this month, has filed nomination papers for one of the five Rajya Sabha seats in the state that go to the polls next week.
The longest serving CM of Bihar, who, incidentally, is perceived to have lost much of his earlier eloquence, did not make any explicit reference to his imminent resignation.
In his speeches at both places, Kumar, who mostly read out from a pre-written text, however, did speak of good work continuing “till 2030”, which was well received by the people, who had elected him for a fifth consecutive term in office less than four months ago.
Meanwhile, the opposition, which has been alleging that the JD(U) supremo was being “driven out of Bihar” by the BJP, continued to fish in the troubled waters of the NDA.
“We would like to ask Nitish Kumar not to buckle under pressure from the BJP and refuse to step down. We will support him,” RJD MLA Bhai Virendra told reporters in Patna.
Notably, Kumar has allied with the RJD on two occasions in the last decade.
In the current assembly, however, the NDA enjoys a brute majority, and the Mahagathbandhan, helmed by the RJD, is only 35-MLA-strong, making it difficult for the JD(U) to retain power while switching sides, like it has managed to do several times in the past. PTI NAC SOM
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