Nitish conveyed reason for his absence to Centre, says party

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

NEW DELHI: The Janata Dal United dismissed speculation that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s absence from the meeting of chief ministers called by the Union law ministry was an indication of souring relations between the party and ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Both parties run an alliance government in Bihar and the JD(U) is a prominent partner in the BIP-led National Democratic Alliance or the NDA that is in power at the Centre.

“The chief minister informed a senior minister in the Union government — days in advance — that he would not be able to make it to the conference owing to a personal reason. There is no political messaging here nor any other speculated reason for his absence,” a minister in the Bihar government said on Saturday, requesting anonymity.

Kumar’s decision to send the state’s law minister to represent him at the meeting fuelled speculation of deepening fissures in the alliance. The Bihar minister quoted above said those who are attributing motives to the chief minister’s presence at the inauguration of a greenfield grain-based ethanol plant in

Bihar’s Purnia on Saturday should consider that the event was being organised by the ministry of industries, a portfolio that is with the BJP.

“The programme in Purnia is being organised by the minister of industry Shahnawaz Hussain who is a BJP leader,” the minister said.

Speculation of strife between the allies was stoked when a section of BJP leaders such as Vinay Bihari made comments about replacing the Bihar chief minister.

Kumar’s presence at an iftar event hosted by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) also raised eyebrows in the BJP and was read as an indication of the JD(U) warming up to its former ally.

In recent months the NDA allies have taken a divergent view on a bunch of issues such as the need for a uniform civil code, the demand for a castebased census and the use of loudspeakers at places of worship.

In March, Kumar lashed out at Bihar assembly speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha on the floor of the House. The standoff that hit the headlines was also read as a manifestation of growing discomfort within the alliance.

The BJP has also downplayed the differences. A senior party leader in Delhi said, “As on date the alliance government with Nitish Kumar as the chief minister is good for the state’s development. The government will complete its term in office and there is no truth to speculation that the BJP wants to replace the chief minister.”

The CM informed a senior minister in Centre that he would not be able to make it to the conference. BIHAR MINISTER, requesting anonymity

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar