PATNA: A day after
RJD
chief Lalu Prasad said “doors are open” for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, his close confidante and state party president
Jagadanand Singh
gave similar offer to the JD(U) boss on Saturday but with a rider—he won’t be offered the throne anymore.
Nitish who in the company of RJD, Congress and Left launched extensive campaigns to bring the scattered opposition together and was widely publicized as the architect of opposition unity quietly walked out of the Grand Alliance last month to form the NDA government with the support of BJP. The new govt won the floor test on February 12 but RJD’s “doors are open” offer has triggered fresh debates in the political circles.
Asked whether the RJD will accept Nitish again if he came with such a request, Singh said he is welcome in their company, but the throne won’t be offered to him anymore. “Jo bhi Samajwadi log jo Janata ki seva ka ashwast karta hai…lekin ab us kursi par nahin (Any socialist who want to serve the masses is welcome to the RJD camp, but that throne will not go to them),” Singh who is considered very close to Lalu told the media on Saturday.
“Hamara Darwaja band nahin hai. Jab koi nirih aawaj deta hai to insaan me daya ka bhav aa hi jata hai (Our doors are not closed. Whenever a person in crisis prays for help, a feeling of pity naturally comes within),” Singh said, narrating how the RJD had come to the rescue of JD(U) after Nitish appealed for help when the defeat of his party candidates looked imminent during 2014 Rajya Sabha polls.
Singh said although Nitish “somehow” managed to win 2020 assembly elections, he very soon approached Lalu for help and the latter again showed generously but Nitish fled again.
On Friday, Lalu said his doors are always open for Nitish adding switching sides has been the habit of the JD(U) leader. “Nitish Ji ka to aadat hai,” Lalu explained further, adding, “Aaayenge to dekhenge (they would consider it if he came back).”
Reacting to such offers, Nitish on Saturday ruled out returning to the RJD camp saying he doesn’t pay attention to who says what, adding he is happy in the company of an old ally. “Ab ham ek saath hog aye hain,” he told reporters.
English (US) ·