From ‘No PM Ambition’ to ‘Became CM Under Pressure’: 5 Key Takeaways from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s Address

Launching an attack on “those in power in Delhi”, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he does not have ambitions to become a Prime Minister, and alluded that there was an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to finish him politically in the 2020 Bihar elections.

Speaking in the state Assembly while proving his numbers in the house, Kumar said he became a Chief Minister under pressure of the BJP in 2020, although he had then said that the BJP should make their Chief Minister as they had won more seats. Kumar said the BJP was saying he wants to become something in the future.

“Hum kuch nahin banana chahte (I have no such ambition),? Kumar said, adding he has appealed to all Opposition political parties to fight collectively in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

In an all-out attack on those in power in Delhi, Kumar accused the BJP of creating conflict in society and causing Hindu-Muslim tussles, which they take advantage of. “They (BJP) only want to create disruption in society. Everybody knows why we separated from the BJP in 2013. I got a lot of respect in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from the then PM, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. They valued me and listened to me,” Kumar said, justifying his decision to part ways in 2013.

He said those in power in Delhi were only indulging in prachar aur prasar (publicity), had done no work and captured the media. Kumar said the BJP was indulging in publicity for 75 years of Independence, but questioned where the BJP was in the freedom fight.

Kumar said nothing, which was alleged by the BJP in 2017 when he pulled out of the alliance, had been proved against the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders. Kumar said he was warned of the BJP’s plot against him in 2020 by his party leaders, but he did not listen.

“Who was made to contest against us (Chirag Paswan’s party)? They thought we will be finished. Despite all that, I kept nothing in mind. I had said the BJP has won more seats, your CM should be made. I was put under so much pressure that I should become the CM, so I became one. The person whom I got from the lowest to the highest spot of national president in my party (RCP Singh) was roped in by the BJP,” Kumar said, in a list of complaints.

The CM further said that his colleagues in the earlier JDU-BJP government, namely Sushil Modi, Prem Kumar and Nand Kishore Yadav, were not picked as ministers by the BJP in 2020.

“I had asked Delhi to make Patna University a Central university, but they did not do it. Now the BJP leaders in Bihar want to abuse me, as they will get posts in Delhi if they do so,” Kumar said.

This strong attack on BJP was the first detailed one by Nitish Kumar since he broke the alliance.

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