Amit Shah: BJP-JD(U) alliance ‘atal’, will fight Bihar polls under Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with BJP president Amit Shah in Patna. (File)

Asserting that the alliance between BJP and JD(U) was “atal (firm)”, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday NDA would fight the Bihar assembly elections next year under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“The gathbandhan (coalition) is atal (unshakeable). The NDA will contest assembly polls under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in Bihar. Nationally, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will continue to lead the coalition,” Amit Shah said in an interview with News18.

मैं #BJP के शिर्ष नेतृत्व @AmitShah1 @narendramodi जी के प्रति धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूं जिन्होंने आगामी विधानसभा चुनाव @NitishKumar जी के नेतृत्व में लड़ने की बात कहकर कुछ लोगों की शंका को दूर करने का काम किया है। विपक्ष जो इन बातों पर आनंद ले रहा था यह उनके मुंह पर तमाचा है।#JDU

— Shyam Rajak (@TheShyamRajak) October 17, 2019

Signalling that there was no strain in ties after the state government’s handling of the inundation of large parts of Patna came in for criticism from the BJP, the BJP president said matbhed (difference of opinion) does not necessarily mean there is manbhed (mental rift).

“An-ban (bickering) is a sign of a healthy coalition. But matbhed (difference of opinion) does not necessarily mean there is manbhed (mental rift),” Amit Shah further said.

Shah’s unambiguous endorsement of Kumar’s leadership of the alliance in Bihar is likely to end the bickering among their leaders.

Last week, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and four other BJP leaders skipped the Ravan Dahan function attended by Nitish Kumar at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan while state Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha was seen sitting next to the CM at the function.

JD(U) national general secretary and state minister Shyam Rajak called Amit Shah’s endorsement a slap on the face of the Opposition.

“I wish to thank the top leadership of BJP – Amit Shah and Narendra Modi – for having dispelled many doubts by speaking about fighting the next assembly polls under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. It is a slap on the face of the opposition which was enjoying (the recent bickering),” he said.

“Those wishing the disintegration of JD(U)-BJP alliance will disintegrate themselves since we have forged the coalition on an idea – that is to uplift 12 crore people of Bihar to which we have been devoted,” Rajak tweeted.

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