Not all well between Nitish, Lalu; Bihar govt will not run long: Ram Vilas Paswan

Paswan, who thanked Kumar for welcoming the Centre's demonetisation, said that the government in Bihar was "under pressure".

New Delhi, Nov 29: Claiming that all was not well between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his ally Lalu Prasad, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said the coalition government in Bihar will not run for long.

Paswan, who thanked Kumar for welcoming the Centre's demonetisation, said that the government in Bihar was "under pressure". "Any party, be it NDA or UPA, if someone joins, it strengthens the party. Whatever Nitish Kumar wants, it is his prerogative.

To take him or not, it is up to the BJP. "We are allies. I had said Nitish Kumar has welcomed the revolutionary step and I had thanked him. I had also said that he (Kumar) is under pressure in Bihar. And whoever, Lalu Yadav has gone with, has not been spared.

That is why, this government (Bihar) will not run for long," Paswan said. Paswan had yesterday said he will welcome Kumar into the NDA and claimed that the JD(U) chief was apprehensive that his ally Lalu Prasad of the RJD would weaken his party.

The Union minister had also lauded Kumar for his support to the Centre's demonetisation step, saying he had taken a "bold decision".

Paswan's Lok Jantantrik Party is part of the ruling NDA coalition at the Centre. Paswan had claimed that Kumar, whose party JD(U) was a former BJP ally and now a bitter rival, was working "under the pressure of Prasad" who had a "history of weakening his allies".

Earlier, BJP chief Amit Shah had also praised Kumar, setting tongues wagging in the political circles.

PTI