Nitish Kumar flays Prashant Kishor, asks if he knows 'ABC of work done in Bihar since 2005'

Flaying his former colleague and political strategist Prashant Kishor, Bihar Chief Minister said that "does he know how much work has been done since 2005", and suggested that Prashant Kishor may be working to help the BJP covertly.

Image courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is making efforts to bring opposition parties on a common platform to take on the all-powerful BJP, slammed his former colleague and political strategist Prashant Kishor, who has said that Kumar's decision to switch alliance will have a regional and not national impact. Prashant Kishor has also called Nitish Kumar a "publicity expert".

Flaying the political strategist, Bihar Chief Minister told media persons here on Wednesday that "does he know how much work has been done since 2005", and suggested that Prashant Kishor may be working to help the BJP covertly, adding "His statements have no meaning." 

Earlier, Kumar met NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and said that the leader of their alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls can be decided later, adding “It is important to come together first.” He also held deliberations with the NCP chief on the broad contours of the opposition alliance and also met CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya.

The JD(U) leader said the time was ripe to present an alternative to the BJP which, he alleged, was "not doing anything for the people". "Both Pawar and I are keen to unite opposition forces who are not with the BJP. A leader of the alliance can be decided later. It is important to come together first," Kumar told reporters after a 30-minute meeting with the NCP supremo.

Bihar Chief Minister has been meeting opposition leaders during his three-day visit to the national capital after he walked out of the alliance with the BJP in Bihar and formed a government along with RJD and other parties.

He called for a "main front" of all non-BJP parties to take on the ruling alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and asserted that the decision on its leadership can be taken later, while talking to reporters after he wrapped up his meetings with several opposition leaders since September 5.

Nitish Kumar said he had a very positive discussions with them and expressed the hope that they will gradually veer towards having a structured programme and agenda. Kumar also played down the reservations parties like the AAP and the TRS have about the Congress, saying he has spoken to everyone and they have been responding.

The Janata Dal (United) leader has met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, INLD supremo OP Chautala and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

To a question about the possibility of a non-BJP and non-Congress "third front", which was experimented with in the past, he said "If a front has to be made, it will be the main front, not the third front," adding "An understanding between the Congress, the Left, parties with socialist background and others will be in national interest. If all non-BJP parties in various states come together, then a good atmosphere will emerge in the country."

In a swipe at the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister alleged that it has been running a one-sided agenda and its efforts are mostly confined to stoking tensions in society.

(With PTI Inputs)