Samikhsya Bureau
The line of the division between Narendra Modi-led NDA and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is virtually pronounced by the CM himself after he said on Friday that his party would not join the council of minister at the Centre. The fissure gets more prominent after Kumar made it a part of political past, which is very likely to become wider as days pass on.
But the scene now is much more different than what it used to be when Kumar sidestepped Lalu Prasad led RJD to embrace NDA. With a shocking majority by the BJP itself, Nitish has lost the strategic leverage and it would be of no consequence for the BJP if Kumar is with the alliance or out of it.
Kumar today said that was no question of JD(U) joining the Modi government at present or in future as such decision taken at initial stage in any alliance remained valid for the future as well.
Kumar, after his arrival from New Delhi, told media persons in Patna that BJP president (now Union home minister) Amit Shah had informed him that there was a proposal for symbolic representation of allies of BJP in the new government to be headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The proposal was discussed in the core committee meeting of JD(U) and a decision was taken that the party should not join the government, just for symbolic representation, he added.
“We are not at all concerned for joining the government and JD(U) is solidly in NDA with its full support to the new government,” Kumar said adding that JD(U) was also not in government in earlier regime of Modi but continued its full support. It was true that JD(U) was interested to join government in beginning but the proposal of symbolic representation was not acceptable to the party, he pointed out.
Kumar said that he was also running a coalition government in Bihar and had given proportionate representation to coalition partners in the cabinet. Either with BJP at present or with Grand Alliance earlier, he had always given proportionate representation to partners in the cabinet, he stated.
“It appears that there is no question of JD(U) of joining Narendra Modi government in future as decision of such nature with alliance taken in beginning remains valid for the future as well,” he said adding that proportionate representation to coalition partners in cabinet was also given in Vajpayee government.
