Nitish Kumar at Agenda Aaj Tak: Was being humiliated when broke with RJD and joined NDA

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said that it was not possible for him to continue with the RJD and Congress in the Mahagathbandhan as he was being humiliated on a daily basis. Nitish Kumar said that he was left with "no other alternative" than to bury his differences with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and join hands with the BJP.

Speaking at Agenda Aaj Tak from Patna today, Nitish Kumar said, "I had no other alternative than forming coalition with the BJP...The situation had become very difficult and started affecting governance at the lower levels."

Referring to RJD president Lalu Prasad's insistence that his son and former deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav would continue to be in government despite serious charges of corruption, Nitish Kumar said, "I could not compromise with certain principles...I had said that the allegations of corruptions should be responded with facts. But they were not ready for it. So, it was not possible for me to continue."

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Nitish further said that he was hurt with the statements by senior leaders of the RJD including Lalu Prasad. "People (read Lalu Prasad) were saying things like, hamne banaya...ye bane rahenge (we made him the CM...he will continue to be in government). What they wanted to convey? The way they tried to humiliate...It was not acceptable," Nitish Kumar said, explaining the reasons which led to his parting ways with the RJD and the Congress earlier this year.

"They accuse me of breaking away. But, who created the environment for that? Who came out of jail and what he said? And, what kind of reaction came on his statement from the senior party leaders? Attempts were being made to humiliate (me)," Nitish Kumar said at Agenda Aaj Tak.

This was a reference to remarks by RJD leader Mohammad Shahabuddin, who - after coming out of jail - had said that Nitish Kumar was the chief minister of circumstances. Shahabuddin had said that Lalu Prasad was his leader and refused to acknowledge Nitish Kumar as the leader of the Mahagathbandhan that was in power at the time.

Senior RJD leaders including Raghuvansh Prasad Singh seemed in support of Shahabuddin's statement. Reports suggested that Shahabuddin had the tacit backing of Lalu Prasad in his attack on Nitish Kumar.

'INTERFERING WITH GOVERNANCE'

With taking the name of Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar further said that attempts were made to "interfere with the governance at the lower level". He said, "Attempts were made to humiliate me. And, attempts were made to create pressure in lower administration...I did not compromise on the question of law and order and corruption."

"They (Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi) should have responded to the allegations of dhanarjan (increase in wealth). But, they were not ready," Nitish said.

Nitish further said that he met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi asking him to intervene. "If someone who tore away an ordinance (protecting corrupt politicians) refused to take a stand on corruption (in the case of Tejashwi), there was not too much that could have been done."

In an interesting remark, Nitish Kumar said that he was convinced that the Mahagathbandhan "will not last long on the very first day of its formation."

Nitish also said that the decision to enter into alliance with the BJP was a decision taken in the interest of Bihar. He also said that the Narendra Modi government had been more cooperative in addressing the concerns of Bihar.

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