Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after paying tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary, in Patna, Monday, Dec 25, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Amid speculation about the JD(U) being upset with developments in the I.N.D.I.A bloc, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday sought to clear the air, saying that he did not feel being neglected following suggestions that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge be made the bloc's prime ministerial face.
He also sought to nix speculation about unease in the party and removal of Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh as national president, insisting that "all is well" in the JD(U).
Following the December 19 I.N.D.I.A bloc meet, there have been reports of unease in the JD(U) over the suggestion by Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal to make Kharge the bloc's face. Reports also suggested that Nitish may take over as the JD(U)'s national president as he was upset with Lalan Singh's alleged proximity with the RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav.
After paying tributes to former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth anniversary at a memorial in Patna, he told reporters, "I felt no disappointment. There is no resentment."
He said when the issue of naming a face for the group came up, he told the leaders that he was not after any post and when another name was proposed, he was okay with it. Kharge himself in the meeting nipped any discussion on the leadership issue, saying they can deliberate on the issue later and focus on securing enough seats to form a government.
"I have been maintaining it since the beginning that I have no desire for myself. My only wish is to unite the maximum number of parties before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. I am working only in this direction," Nitish said.
Asked about his insistence on the bloc finishing the seat-sharing exercise at the earliest, the Bihar CM said, "Yes I said that seat sharing should be finalised at the earliest. I had expressed the view on earlier occasions as well. I am confident that it will be done in good time across all states."
Asked about rumours of trouble in the JD(U), Nitish said all are working together in his party. "All is well in the party, we are united. I don't really pay attention to what BJP leaders say about us. Let them say whatever they want, it does not have any value. We are only concerned about the overall development of the state. We have undertaken many development works for the overall growth of Bihar."