Nitish Kumar says RCP Singh 'connived with BJP' to weaken JDU; 'Never made him a minister'

In a significant development, newly sworn-in Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday took a potshot on former national president of the Janata Dal (United), Ramchandra Prasad Singh, for participating in the Union Cabinet without his permission and for "conniving with BJP to weaken his party." 

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said, “We wanted four ministerial berths in Union Cabinet. I had protested when we get only one ministerial birth. BJP has 17 MPs from Bihar and JD(U) had 16 MPs. They had five ministers and we got only one. So I refused, and RCP Singh participated in Union Cabinet without my permission. He was party president then and he connived with BJP to weaken my party.”

“I never made RCP Singh a minister. I had made him party president. He himself became a minister and connived with BJP,” the Bihar CM added. 

On being asked about being seen as a PM face, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said, “I say this with folded hands, I have no such thoughts. My work is to work for everyone. I will make an effort to see that all the Opposition parties work together. If they do, it will be good." 

When asked about his role in Opposition unity at the national level, Kumar said, "We would want to unite everyone. I am doing positive work. I am receiving a lot of phone calls, I am doing everything. I will do everything but first I will do my work here"

BJP MLA Tarkishore Prasad slams Nitish for 'dreaming of becoming PM'

Kumar's statement comes after remarks of former Bihar deputy CM and BJP MLA Tarkishore Prasad slammed the Bihar CM for "dreaming of becoming Prime Minister". Tarkishore Prasad said, "Day before yesterday, he (Nitish Kumar) accused BJP of attempting to break the JD(U) and he went quiet on the matter of corruption as if Lalu Prasad Yadav's family's corruption cases are now closed and they have become 'clean'. People know that investigation is still on."

"Whenever he dreams of becoming the Prime Minister, he says things like this because his furious desire inspires him to betray the mandate of the people," the BJP leader added.

Nitish Kumar breaks alliance with BJP, returns back to Mahagatbandhan

Five years after returning to the NDA fold, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar took another U-turn, joined hands with his former allies in Mahagatbandhan-- RJD, Congress, and the Left, on Tuesday, and submitted his resignation to Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan to stake a claim to form a new government with the support of 164 MLAs.

Notably, on Wednesday, the JD(U) leader took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the 8th consecutive time. In addition, Kumar was joined by RJD's Tejashwi Yadav who swore in as his Deputy, bringing the fast-paced political developments in Bihar to a conclusion. The duo was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Phagu Chauhan.