Nitish 'distances' himself from George on Mulayam issue

Patna, June 27 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said former JD(U) President George Fernandes had met Samajwadi Party supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in his personal capacity.

Mr Kumar told newspersons after meeting party workers that Mr Fernandes was a senior leader and was free to meet anybody but that did not mean his every action bore a seal of approval of the partys top leadership.

JD (U) president Sharad Yadav would ultimately have a final word on such a vital issue and Mr Yadav had already announced the partys electoral tie up with the Apna Dal in the coming UP Assembly election, he added.

During his meeting with the Samajwadi Party chief in Lucknow yesterday, NDA convenor Mr Fernandes had made a scathing attack on Congress, alleging the party had implicated him in the defence coffin scam by lodging 38 cases.

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