Nitish skips yoga event, BJP plays down move
JD- U downplays issue; absence indicates tension in ties with BJP
Bihar chief minister and JD( U) president Nitish Kumar virtually snubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, yet again, as he skipped a programme organised in Patna by the NDA government to mark the International Day of Yoga on Thursday. Mr Kumar had stayed away from similar programmes in the last two year as well.
This is the third year in a row when the JD( U) chief has avoided the annual yoga function but the first time after his party joined the NDA in July last year.
As political circles in Patna started debating Mr Kumar’s absence from the NDA’s marquee event, the JD( U) tried to play down the issue with state president Basisth Narayan Singh saying, “Yoga is for health and not for politics.”
Mr Kumar’s absence from the event, attended by several Central and state ministers, also points towards the simmering tension between JD( U) and the BJP over seat sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP came out in defence of the “missing” chief minister. “It is not a question about JD( U) staying away from the event. There were so many leaders who turned up for the event. It is not necessary for everyone to practice in it openly,” Mr Modi told reporters.
Bihar chief minister and JD( U) president Nitish Kumar virtually snubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, yet again, as he skipped a programme organised in Patna by the NDA government to mark the International Day of Yoga on Thursday. Mr Kumar had stayed away from similar programmes in the last two year as well. This is the third year in a row when the JD( U) chief has avoided the annual yoga function but the first time after his party joined the NDA in July last year.
As political circles in Patna started debating Mr Kumar’s absence from the NDA’s marquee event, the JD( U) tried to play down the issue with state president Basisth Narayan Singh saying, “Yoga is for health and not for politics.”
Mr Kumar’s absence from the event, attended by several Central and state ministers and inaugurated by Bihar governor Satyapal Malik, also points towards the simmering tension between JD( U) and the BJP over issues, including seat sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the state government’s longpending demand for special category status for Bihar.
The JD( U) state president justified the chief minister’s absence from the NDA’s showcase event saying, “The JD( U) appreciates Prime Minister’s appeal to the masses but yoga is also practiced indoors and can be done anywhere. It does not need participation in public.”
Last year, Mr Kumar had called the yoga event “a publicity stunt” and claimed that he has been practicing yoga privately.
Mr Kumar had stayed away from the international yoga day event in the last few years as he was earlier a part of the grand secular alliance with the RJD and the Congress. However, it was being speculated that he may participate in the event this year following his return to the NDA fold.
Bihar BJP leaders see Mr Kumar decision to skip the event as a tactic to put pressure on other NDA allies ahead of the 2019 elections. Sources claim that the JD( U) wants an early decision on seat sharing for Lok Sabha polls.
BJP insiders claim that the issue of seat sharing with NDA allies is likely to be discussed by party president Amit Shah who is expected to visit Patna next month.