Lalu Yadav Says Doors Open For Nitish Kumar. How Bihar Chief Minister Reacted

Lalu Yadav Says Doors Open For Nitish Kumar. How Bihar Chief Minister Reacted

Patna:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday provided a cryptic response to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “doorways open” assertion to rejoin the opposition INDIA bloc. When questioned by journalists about Mr Yadav’s remarks, Mr Kumar folded his arms, smiled, and curtly responded, “Kya bol rahe hain (What are you saying?)” with out elaborating additional.

This alternate comes within the wake of Mr Yadav’s assertion throughout an interview, the place he mentioned, “Our doorways are open for Nitish Kumar. He must also unbolt his gates. This would facilitate motion of individuals from either side.”

Mr Yadav’s assertion has since fueled hypothesis in Bihar about the opportunity of one other alliance between the 2 veteran leaders, sometimes called “bada bhai, chhota bhai” (massive brother, little brother) in Bihar’s political circles. 

Mr Yadav’s overture to Mr Kumar follows a historical past of turbulent alliances. Mr Kumar, chief of the Janata Dal (United), has aligned with the RJD twice within the final decade, most not too long ago as a part of the Mahagathbandhan earlier than switching sides to rejoin the BJP-led NDA in 2024. 

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son and inheritor obvious within the RJD, downplayed his father’s remarks, suggesting they had been made to “fulfill the curiosity of the media.” Speaking to journalists on the swearing-in ceremony of  new Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Tejashwi Yadav mentioned, “What else would he (Lalu Yadav) say? He was merely addressing your questions.”

Tejashwi Yadav, nevertheless, added that the brand new 12 months would witness the top of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA authorities. He additional accused Mr Kumar of being “captive” to a small group of shut advisors and now not able to operating Bihar independently.

Union Minister and JD(U) chief Lalan Singh dismissed Lalu Yadav’s remarks. “The NDA is powerful. JD(U) and BJP are united. People can say no matter they need – it’s a free nation,” he mentioned.