'Nitish Kumar has been a non-Congress leader, has that changed?' asks BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad

Patna, Aug 10: BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday hit out at Nitish Kumar, asking if the JD(U) leader has compromised on his principles of politics which always revolved around non-Congressism.

Prasad said that Kumar's decision to join hands with the corrupt forces has ditched his non-Congressism credentials which will dent his chances in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

"Nitish Kumar has been a non-Congress leader. His politics is around non-Congressism. Is that finished? Compromise with corruption and non-Congressism! Nitish Kumar sided with corruption & Congressism. Congratulations. People will give a reply in LS & Aseembly polls," Prasad told ANI.

Nitish Kumar is scheduled to be sworn in as the chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday afternoon for a record eighth time. Kumar will be administered the oath of office by Governor Phagu Chauhan at a simple ceremony inside the Raj Bhavan at 2 pm.

Tejashwi Yadav, whose RJD helms the Grand Alliance that elected Kumar as its leader on Tuesday, is also scheduled to be sworn in, with him returning as the deputy chief minister for the second time. Earlier, it was understood that only Kumar and Yadav will be taking oath though sources in the multi-party Grand Alliance now hint at the possibility of "three to five" ministers being sworn in.

Besides JD(U) and RJD, the Congress is expected to be represented in the new cabinet. Left parties CPIML(L), CPI and CPI(M) have expressed their intention to support the new government from outside. Kumar had on Tuesday quit the BJP, stripping the party of power, before resigning and staking claim to form a new government, armed with the support of the 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance).