Nitish snubs Lalu, says earlier tie-up a mistake

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday declined RJD patriarch and former Union Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “offer” of returning to the grand alliance comprising the RJD, the Congress and Left parties, indicating that he had made a “mistake” earlier of joining hands with him.

Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) was once a partner in the grand alliance. The JD(U) chief had left the grouping due to differences and rejoined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“Those who were in power before us... did they do anything? People used to fear stepping out of their homes after sunset. I had “galti se” (by mistake) aligned with them a couple of times,” Nitish Kumar told reporters at Muzaffarpur on the sidelines of an official function.

“What was the condition of women back then? Today, you can see these self-help groups, which we named Jivika. The Centre replicated our model and called it Ajivika. Did you see such confident rural women earlier,” the CM asked.

Lalu had made the “doors open” comments days after BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah appeared to project Nitish Kumar as the CM candidate for the Assembly elections, due in less than a year. Bihar BJP leaders have also said Nitish Kumar would be the face of the NDA in the Assembly elections.

The BJP fell short of a majority in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year. The party depends on allies such as the JD(U) and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP to stay in power at the Centre.

The RJD had in the past said it would never work with Nitish Kumar again.

“Our doors are closed for Nitish Kumar forever. We do not need him. There is nothing left in Nitish now. The people of Bihar trust me, and this time we will form the government on our own,” Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu’s son, had said.