JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM during the swearing-in ceremony of new state government, at Raj Bhavan in Patna.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: The Congress on Monday took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with another 'chameleon' and 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar' barbs at him, a day after the JD(U) leader's latest volte-face in Bihar.
The Congress also said that when Kumar went to take his scarf which he left at the Raj Bhawan while taking oath for the ninth time as chief minister, the governor expressed surprise that this time it took him only 15 minutes to return.
Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying 'things were not working well' for him in the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A, and formed a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
"After taking oath, Nitish Kumar ji forgot his 'muffler' (scarf) in Raj Bhawan. When he came back halfway to pick up, the Governor was shocked that this time not even 15 minutes had passed," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.
In another post in Hindi, he said, "Girgit ko bhi karni padi naye rang ki khoj, ye shoorveer badalte hain itne rang roz (even chameleon had to search for a new colour as these 'warriors' change so many colours everyday)."
Later, speaking with reporters in Uttar Dinajpur in West Bengal during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Ramesh said, "What can I say? I said yesterday 'aaya Kumar, gaya Kumar'. Nitish Kumar gives a tough competition to a chameleon."
Ramesh's swipe was a wordplay on the expression 'aaya Ram gaya Ram', which was used widely in politics in the 1990s referring to the frequent floor-crossing and switching of parties.
Ramesh said Kumar keeps resigning repeatedly and keeps changing his 'political colours'.
The Congress leader said Kumar participated in three meetings of the I.N.D.I.A bloc but gave no indication that he was going to 'betray' the opposition.
"He (Kumar) has betrayed us. At the right time, people of Bihar will give a befitting response to him and the one who makes him dance to his tunes, the prime minister," Ramesh said.
Lashing out at Kumar, Ramesh said on Sunday it is clear that a 'political drama' is being staged in order to divert attention from the party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.