Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday rebuffed comments by his former party colleague Prashant Kishor, who has renewed his attack on the Janata Dal (United) leader. The poll strategist – who is on a statewide tour – made a scathing allegation when he claimed in one of his latest remarks that Nitish Kumar’s ties with the BJP are not over just yet.
“Do me a favour… don’t ask me about him. I have said it once. Now whoever wants, can say whatever he wants. He keeps talking for the sake of his publicity,” Nitish Kumar told reporters as he was seen smiling along with the journalists.
“At one point of time, I held him in high regard. Now he just blabbers as and when he wants. You all are familiar … Whoever I have respected… how they have disrespected me in the past,” he said.
The 45-year-old election strategist’s I-PAC has been credited for many poll victories, including that of Nitish Kumar, the BJP in 2014, Mamata Banerjee in Bengal, among many others. His attacks on Nitish Kumar come as he holds multiple public meetings across Bihar in a bid to strengthen base at the grassroots level.
It has, however, evoked strong responses. “Who is Prashant Kishore?” asked Bihar’s energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, hitting out.
In proof of his statement, Prashant Kishor had said that Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh – a JD(U) MP – has resigned from the post, nor the party has asked him to vacate the post and there has been no action against him.
“As far as I know, Nitish Kumar is maintaining his channels with the BJP through Harivansh ji. Otherwise, how is it justified that you are now out of an alliance but your MP is still holding the significant post in the Rajya Sabha?” he had said.
Nitish Kumar’s return to the Grand Alliance in Bihar was followed by his meetings with key opposition leaders in the last few months in preparation for the 2024 national elections.