Issue of equal participation at Centre was reason for separation from BJP: Bihar CM

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said the issue of equal participation at the Centre was one of the reasons for separation from the BJP in the state. He criticised the Narendra Modi government on the same.

He stated that when the 2019 Lok Sabha election ended and Narendra Modi formed the government at the Centre, the JD-U had 16 MPs and the BJP had 17 MPs from Bihar in the Lok Sabha. "We demanded at least 4 cabinet ministers at the Centre but the BJP refused."

" I told them that the BJP has 17 MPs from Bihar and is giving ministerial berths to 5 MPs and allotting the JD-U just 1. I told the BJP top leadership you are making five MPs from Bihar union ministers and offering one to us. Hence, we refused to take a ministry at the Centre," he added.

He further said the JD-U helped the BJP candidates to win during the 2020 assembly elections but BJP did not give the same support.

"Those JD-U candidates who lost the 2020 assembly election said they lost the election because of BJP workers campaigning against them. Even those who won said that BJP workers did not support them. The BJP, during the 2020 assembly election, back-stabbed us," said the veteran politician.

Speaking about RCP Singh, he said: "I gave my seat of the national president to that man and see what he did with us. He started anti-party activities." The CM added that he authorised Singh to negotiate with the BJP during the second expansion of the Modi government. "But, he put the party interest aside and became a union minister on his own."

"I never allowed him to take just one ministerial berth at the Centre. At that time, I decided to give him just 6 months, and then he would be dumped. When he became a union minister, I asked him to give the national president post to Lalan Singh," he added.

Kumar further slammed RCP Singh and said he kept Singh at the Centre when he became Bihar's chief minister. "I brought him and made him secretary. I sent him to the Rajya Sabha twice and see what he did. He was involved in anti-party activities and was working for the BJP. I gave him huge respect. And he is making inappropriate and objectionable statements against me. My party workers are pained when they see his objectionable statements."

Kumar also dismissed Sushil Modi's allegation of not providing sufficient security. He said the Bihar government has given Modi whatever he wants and wanted him to stay in Bihar after the 2020 assembly election. "His party brought him to Delhi and I was thinking he might get an important responsibility at the Centre. But his party sidelined him."

"Now he is levelling allegations against me. I never mind his allegations. His party might take notice of the statements he is making against me. I would be happy if he would get some role in the central government," he added.