Former Union minister and BJP MLC Sanjay Paswan on Wednesday said people of Bihar are now tired of Nitish Kumar and need a Chief Minister from the BJP. Paswan’s statement comes ahead of BJP chief Amit Shah’s visit to Bihar on January 16. Paswan said, “What I have gathered from my extensive tours in nearly 20 districts of the state is that people are now tired of Nitish Kumar. The state now needs a BJP CM, be it is Sushil Kumar Modi, Nityanand Rai, or anyone else.” BJP state spokesperson Nikhil Anand called Paswan’s views “personal”. Asked about Shah’s remark that Bihar polls would be fought under Nitish’s leadership, Paswan said, “What I am saying is not an impulsive reaction. So what if we missed out on forming government in some states? Bihar could be a different story.” Paswan also accused Nitish of “misusing state machinery for furthering the cause of his party”. “Why is it that before every election, there is a yatra (tour) at government’s expense? It is nothing but a JD(U) campaign on public money. our party is not part of such yatras. It is total misuse of public money,” Paswan said, referring to ongoing Jal, Jivan and Hariyali mission. Anand said: “Our national president has already said NDA in Bihar will contest the polls under Nitish Kumar. What some leaders are saying in their individual capacity is not the party’s stand.” JD(U) spokesperson and Information and Public Relations Minister Neeraj Kumar said, “After Amit Shah made it clear that NDA would contest the elections under Nitish Kumar, there is no meaning in Paswan’s statement. As for the ongoing yatra, it was decided by both Houses legislature and BJP is endorsing it.”
