Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that all talks on seat sharing or alliances in Bihar now were just speculations.
“ Sab hawa mein batein chal rahi hai abhi (everything is just speculations now),” said Nitish Kumar while addressing media persons on the sidelines of his weekly Lok Samvad (public interaction) programme in Patna.
Mr. Kumar is scheduled to meet BJP president Amit Shah on July 12 in Patna. Party sources told The Hindu that both the leaders would mull over seat sharing formula in the state for upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“When asked would he contest the upcoming assembly elections in four state in alliance with BJP or some other parties?” Mr Kumar said, “JD(U) would contest on its own as every political party wants to expand its base…earlier too we’ve contest polls in other states and won seats.”
“The alliance with the BJP is for Bihar only,” he said. He further asserted that the NDA government was working well in the state and there was no confusion between its alliance partners.
While reacting on political controversy over his “courtesy call” to RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav to know his well-being when he was undergoing medical check-up in Mumbai, Nitish Kumar said, “Now I’ll get to know about his (Lalu Prasad) health through newspapers or media persons.”
“But, the way my phone call to know about his health was projected was totally unbecoming…it was not moral…besides political differences we keep in touch with each other on personal level and participate in our sukh-dukh (happiness and sorrow),” he said while, adding that he had called “four times” to know about well-being of ailing Lalu Prasad.
On the “No Entry - Nitish Chacha” placard displayed by Lalu Prasad’s elder son and RJD MLA Tej Pratap Yadav at the gate of his residence, Mr. Kumar said, “It was laughable.”
“When you do such things you don’t know about its impact on society at large..your party supporters may be happy but what about others?” said the Chief Minister.
Mr. Kumar also reiterated that in the coming session of the Bihar Assembly, an amendment to the provisions of Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act 2016 would be brought.
“The amendments will be basically on the feedback from interaction with general people and misuse of the provisions of the law by police and excise department officials…but, the liquor law will continue to be more effective in the state,” he said.
