Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reaffirmed his commitment to working for the State, and denied having any desire to get involved with BJP again
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday rubbished claims that he would be joining up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) again in the future. Mr. Kumar expressed his disappointment with the workings of the media, and stressed that his statement was misinterpreted.
“When I say something, you people [the media] do not listen carefully. People from all parties were sitting in the programme in Motihari, so I put forward my views. When our government was formed in the year 2005, I started several programmes from Champaran itself. I was discussing all these things and telling them that all of you will remember this, right? So, everyone clapped and said yes, we will remember. It’s just that. I have not said anywhere that I am with them [BJP],“ Mr. Kumar said in the premises of old secretariat on the sidelines of a programme organised to pay tribute to the first Chief Minister of Bihar, the late Shri Krishna Singh, on his birth anniversary.
Mr. Kumar also said that he was very disappointed when he saw newspapers the next day to discover reports that suggested he would join up with the BJP. Mr. Kumar, who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, Industries Minister Sameer Kumar Mahaseth, Minority Welfare Minister Mohammad Jama Khan and others, also declared that it would be the last time he would be speaking to the media.
He further clarified that during the programme organized at Mahatma Gandhi Central University (MGCU), Motihari, he was telling about the construction of the Central University that how he had asked the then Central Government to build Central University in Champaran as the land was related to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi but the then government at Centre denied.
On Thursday, Mr. Kumar during the convocation of MGCU in Motihari, reportedly said that as long as he was alive, his friendship with BJP leaders would remain. Even Janata Dal (United) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh on Friday said that there was no question of looking back at BJP.
Mr. Kumar pointed out that he was just reminding people present over there that how much work has already been done in Bihar and people (sitting over there) should also remember all these things.
“I never spoke about the party [BJP] I was just saying how much good work is being done in the interest of Bihar and all the decisions were taken by me. I said that in the year 1917, the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi had come to Champaran and the movement started from there under his leadership. The country became independent 30 years after Mahatma Gandhi’s Champaran satyagraha. When 100 years of his arrival was completed in the year 2017, I did many things. But instead of covering these issues of importance, the media would rather focus on these trivial issues,“ Mr. Kumar said.
He did not miss the opportunity to slam senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi over his statement that BJP will not allow him.
“These people are saying that they will not allow me. Have I ever asked their permission? Sushil Kumar Modi ji was made general secretary by Lalu Prasad ji, the chairman of Patna University student union. When we were together, everything seemed fine to him. I was really hurt when he was not made the Deputy Chief Minister. These days he keeps on saying something every day. This child [Tejashwi Yadav] is with me and everyone is happy. My only interest is to work for Bihar and express my views in whatever way we can in favour of the country,” Mr. Kumar said.
