Nitish Kumar’s ‘soft corner for BJP’

Janata Dal (United) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh rubbished media reports about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying he has a “soft corner for Bharatiya Janata Party.”

Nitish Kumar spoke at the first convocation ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Central University at Motihari in East Champaran district.

He reportedly said that his friendship with BJP leaders would remain as long as he was alive.

But Mr. Singh said there is no question of “looking back” at the BJP, and the media has presented distorted remarks. He stressed that personal and political relations are separate.

“Sushil Modi ji is our friend. We always say this. So, will he join JD(U)? Nitish Ji was not talking about the BJP but about personal (relationships). Everything is the media’s agenda. Why will Nitish ji go with the BJP? We will not even look towards the BJP. On the stage, maybe he spoke about his relationships with BJP leaders. Personal relationships and politics are different,” Mr. Singh said.

Mr. Singh termed the BJP a “party of cheaters” and accused it of stabbing Mr. Kumar during the 2020 Assembly election.

Without naming former JD(U) leader R.C.P. Singh, he also alleged that the BJP “conspired’ with one of JD(U) leaders.

“Did Nitish ji speak on the stage that he will go with BJP? He has one goal: to create a BJP-free nation in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Ever since Nitish ji allied with Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav on August 9, 2022, they have been continuously harassed by the ED [Enforcement Directorate] and CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation]. Nitish ji will not be afraid of anyone,“ Mr. Singh said.
Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi came down heavily on Mr. Singh for defending Mr. Kumar’s remarks. Mr. Modi said that Mr. Kumar, not the BJP, backstabbed and betrayed the mandate. He also said that BJP does not need him anymore.

“Despite JD(U) getting 44 seats and BJP getting more than 75 seats in the 2020 Assembly election, we made Nitish Kumar the Chief Minister to keep our pre-poll promise. Is it a stab in the back?” Mr. Modi said.