Nitish Kumar gives call for `Sangh-mukt` Bharat

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday appealed to non-BJP parties to make a 'Sangh-mukt' (Sangh-free) country "to save democracy".

"Sangh-mukt Bharat banane ke liye sabhi gair BJP parties ko ek hona hoga (to usher in a Sangh-free India all non-BJP parties have to come together)," the new JD(U) chief said at the 'Advantage Conclave' here.

"Uniting against BJP and its divisive ideology is the only way to save democracy," said Kumar, who has already talked about "largest possible unity" among secular parties.

The Chief Minister said he was not against any party or individual, but against "divisive" ideology of the Sangh, the ideological parent of BJP.

"The three stalwarts of the BJP -- Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi -- have been sidelined within the party and power has gone to people who have no faith in secularism and communal harmony," he said.

A day after becoming JD(U) president, Kumar had on April 11 said he would strive for forging the "largest possible unity" against BJP by bringing Congress, Left and regional parties on one platform before the 2019 general elections.