Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai)

Nitish Kumar’s Maha message to workers: Revive party in state

Kumar was in Mumbai to revive the state unit of the JD (U); urges opposition parties to unite for tolerance, harmony

- HT Correspond­ent

A day after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and discussing a common nominee of non-nda parties for the presidenti­al polls in July, Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar appealed to parties believing in socialist and secular ideologies to join hands to keep away the parties “promoting negative and divisive politics”.

Addressing a rally in Mumbai on Saturday, Kumar, without naming the BJP, said the model of the grand alliance implemente­d in Bihar during the 2015 Assembly elections had succeeded and its time to replicate it at the national level.

Kumar was in Mumbai to revive the state unit of the JD (U).

The Bihar CM, who was portrayed by his party as the prime ministeria­l candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, said it is high time to give a befitting reply to divisive politics. He urged the opposition parties to come together to push the social agenda safeguardi­ng the ideology of tolerance, harmony, unity, non-violence and promote the social fabric of the society based on the doctrine of equality in diversity.

“Tampering with the unity of the country and fuelling the collision between communitie­s will take us nowhere. Talking on divisive lines during the elections is okay, but it should not be stretched beyond limits,” Kumar said. He also criticized the BJP, calling its patriotism “fake”. Kumar said the party, which has never bestowed any respect for the tricolor in the past, has now begun teaching us nationalis­m. The Bihar chief minister said people should stand united against the parties that are attempting to divide the country in the name of ideology.

He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his policies on agricultur­e and questioned why the prime minister failed to fulfill the promise given to the farmers ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Demanding a blanket ban on liquor across the country, Kumar said that Bihar has witnessed positive results after prohibitio­n in 2015, and the decision should be implemente­d across the country.

 ?? PRAMOD THAKUR ?? Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addresess his party workers at a rally in Goregaon on Saturday.
PRAMOD THAKUR Bihar CM Nitish Kumar addresess his party workers at a rally in Goregaon on Saturday.

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