Patna, Mar 26 (PTI) Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, by getting re-elected as the JD(U) president and inducting his son Nishant into the party, has got off the pedestal on which he had placed himself for “the last 35 years”.
Kishor, a former JD(U) national vice president, made the remark on Wednesday in Munger district, about 150 km from the state capital, where his views were sought on recent developments in the party.
The 48-year-old said, “Nitish Kumar was always the supreme leader in the JD(U). His retaining of the post of the national president and the induction of his son is proof that he is no different from all those who treat their party as a fiefdom to be bequeathed to their offsprings.” “For the past 35 years, Nitish Kumar has put himself on a pedestal, while lambasting others for nepotism and projecting himself as someone who lived by the ideals of socialism. But he can no longer claim the high ground,” Kishor added.
The former poll strategist was also asked about what he thought of the imminent change of guard in the state, with Nitish Kumar all set to relinquish the chief minister’s post following his election to the Rajya Sabha.
Kishor said, “Who shall head the new government is a matter that has to be decided by the NDA, which could not have come to power, in first place, but for the bribery of voters ahead of the polls in a brazen fashion.” The allusion was to sops offered by the NDA government in the run-up to assembly polls held in November last year, most notable of which was the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana rolled out days before the announcement of the election schedule.
Under the scheme, a sum of Rs 10,000 each was transferred into the accounts of over one crore women, and female voters came out to vote in record numbers, helping the BJP-led coalition achieve a landslide victory.
Kishor, who has often accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of seeking votes in Bihar but “caring only for their home state”, also remarked, tongue in cheek, “whatever be the shape of the new government here, we may rest assured that it will be run keeping the interests of Gujarat in mind”.
Meanwhile, in the state capital, Nishant Kumar turned up at the JD(U) office to celebrate with party workers his 75-year-old father’s re-election as the national president.
The 44-year-old heir apparent promised to take along “grassroots level workers” and suggested that booklets be prepared and distributed across the state, encapsulating the work done by his father during a decades-long chief ministership. PTI SUK NAC BDC ACD
Category: Breaking News
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