Nitish Kumar's JD(U) not to be part of Narendra Modi-led Central government again: Party national president

JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh denied speculations of a rift between Nitish Kumar's party and the BJP, asserting that "all is well" between the NDA allies.

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New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) will not be a part of Union council of ministers again, a senior party leader said on Sunday (August 7). Following now ex-JD(U) leader RCP Singh’s resignation, there is no representation of Nitish Kumar’s party in the Narendra Modi-led Central government. JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan said in a press conference, “We stick to our stand of 2019 when, after the Lok Sabha polls, we had decided not to join the government at the Centre.” 

"The decision not to join the Union government was taken by our leader Nitish Kumar who was then also the party's national president," Lalan Singh added. 

Hitting out at RCP Singh who quit JD(U) a day back, Singh said some people were trying to hurt the party. “JD(U) isn't a sinking ship, it's a sailing ship, some people are trying to damage it, Nitish Kumar identified those who were trying to damage it and took steps to mend it,” the JD(U) national president was quoted as saying by ANI. 

RCP Singh, who resigned from the Union cabinet recently after being denied another Rajya Sabha term, quit the JD(U) on Saturday (August 6), hours after the party sought an explanation from him over allegations of corruption levelled by some unidentified workers. Terming the allegations “baseless”, he had called JDU a 'sinking ship'. “An attempt is being made to defame me. I don't have any land in my name. All the allegations being leveled against me are baseless. There is no cure for JDU's jealousy. I cannot go ahead with them in these circumstances,” RCP Singh had said. 

Meanwhile, Rajiv Ranjan Singh also denied speculations of a rift between JDU and the BJP, asserting that "all is well". The rumours of discontent between the two NDA allies gained momentum after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar skipped the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today. As per PTI sources, Kumar cited post-Covid debility as the reason to excuse himself from the meeting. 

(With agency inputs)