BJP to decide whether Chirag Paswan's LJP should be retained in NDA: Nitish Kumar
Patna, Nov 12: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) suffered a major slump in seats in the Assembly polls on account of the rebellion by Chirag Paswan, on Thursday said it is for the alliance spearhead BJP to take a call on whether to retain the LJP in the NDA.
Talking to reporters for the first time after the NDA's victory, Kumar, who is set for yet another term in office, said the date for his swearing-in ceremony will be discussed at an "informal" meeting of all the four NDA constituents on Friday.
Bihar election results: Nitish Kumar may take oath as CM on Monday
"You make suggestions to this effect", Kumar replied laughingly when asked whether he would ask the BJP to drop the LJP from the NDA at the Centre in the wake of its brinkmanship that scuppered the chances of JD(U) candidates in several seats.
"In any case, it is for the BJP to decide. I have nothing to say in the matter," said Kumar, who is the national president of the JD(U).
The
JD(U)
has
returned
with
a
tally
of
43
seats,
down
from
71
in
2015
when
he
contested
the
Assembly
polls
in
alliance
with
the
RJD
and
the
Congress.
In
contrast,
the
BJP,
which
was
hitherto
a
junior
alliance
partner,
won
74
seats.
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The development will not put any hurdle in the way of Kumar's return as the chief minister but will likely alter the power equations between the two parties.
However, when asked whether he was apprehensive about being able to function as freely as earlier, Kumar replied in the negative.
"I
have
always
been
uncompromising
on
the
three
Cs
--
crime,
corruption
and
communalism.
There
is
going
to
be
no
change.
Not
a
single
riot
has
taken
place
since
I
took
over,"
he
said.
"Janata maalik hai (the people are our lord). I have no personal feelings in these matters," he said about the election reverses.
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About the possible date of swearing-in, he said leaders of all the four NDA constituents will likely to meet informally on Friday to discuss the issue.
Kumar said since the tenure of the current Assembly ends on November 29 there was time. He said if the swearing were to take place before November 29, the current Assembly will have to be dissolved.
"I will also need to tender my resignation before that for fresh oath-taking," he said.
He
declined
to
comment
on
allegations
by
Opposition
leaders,
including
RJD's
Tejashwi
Yadav,
that
the
process
of
counting
of
votes
was
rigged
to
help
the
NDA
which
got
a
slender
majority
and
won
by
wafer-thin
margins
in
several
seats.
"What do I have to say in such matters," he replied dismissively.