I cannot even think of giving support to UPA, says Nitish

Patna, Sept 20: A day after his statement that he would extend support to anyone who granted special category status to

, Chief Minister

clarified that he had said in the context of the 2014 general elections and he could not think of giving support to the

. [UPDATE:

]

"Unko (UPA) samarthan dena to meri soch ke bhi bahar hai (I cannot ever think of giving support to the UPA)," Kumar told reporters in reply to a question. "Whatever I said at the public meeting at Betiah yesterday should not be related to the present political situation ... I had said that in the context of 2014 general elections," the Chief Minister said.

Kumar said that he had also said at the same meeting that the political might of the people of Bihar could not be ignored and if the people united in the 2014 general elections then they could, by virtue of 40 MPs, play a decisive role in formation of the next government at the Centre.

On the flux at the Centre following withdrawal of support to the UPA government by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Kumar said that his personal assessment was that the UPA government might not collapse as the Congress was good at managing numbers. "Congress ke log bahut jugadu hai ... ek jata hai to dusare ko pakad lete hai (Congress leaders are good at managing numbers, if one goes out then they catch someone else for support)," he said.

On his reaction to the response of the people to the opposition-sponsored nationwide bandh, Kumar said that the large scale public participation was spontaneous as three serious issues like diesel price hike, subsidised LPG cylinders and FDI in retail touched a chord.

"All these three are serious issues and a big chain of political events affecting the people and the country," he said and claimed that even those associated with the UPA joined the stir or extended support to it. "There will be large scale unemployment after opening the multi-brand retail to foreign companies," the Chief Minister said, adding that large companies would remove smaller traders to make a hefty profit by monopolising the retail business.

On criticism by the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad against his 'Adhikar Yatra' to ramp up support on the special status issue, he said that if he was a supporter of this demand then he should join the campaign.

On Prasad's support to FDI in retail, Kumar said that the RJD leader's mindset has changed and he appeared to be eyeing something by extending support to the UPA government on FDI in retail.

PTI