Bihar Political Crisis: As Nitish Kumar keeps INDIA allies on their toes with rumours of his returning to BJP-led NDA, Congress on Saturday responded for the first time since the ongoing turmoil in the rulling Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who is currently in Karnataka, said he does not have any information on JDU moving out of the INDIA alliance, once he gets to know, he will brief the media.
"I don't have any information on JDU moving out of the INDIA alliance. What they have in mind is not clear. I will get the full information and then I will brief you. Let us see what will happen... Our effort is to unite everyone. I have spoken with Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Sitaram Yechury. If we unite, we will give a good fight, and the INDIA alliance will be a success. Those who are interested in saving democracy will not change their minds and will stay with us," Kharge said as quoted by ANI.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said his party chief tried to reach out to Nitish Kumar several times but he is busy. "...I can formally say that Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge tried to talk to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar not just once, but several times. However, the Bihar CM is busy..." he said.
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While buzz around Nitish Kumar joining the saffron camp continues, several RJD leaders have rubbished all such claims saying that everything is fine in the Mahagathbandhan government. Earlier today, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who called Nitish Kumar a "restless soul", talked about the reasons for the possible split between RJD and JD(U). He said the rift between their two parties began when Lalu Yadav gave Congress leader Rahul Gandhi priority over Nitish Kumar during the INDIA bloc conference in Patna.
JD(U) leader Gopal Mandal also made similar claims, stating that Nitish Kumar was not being respected in the Mahagathbandhan. "Wherever our national president (Nitish Kumar) goes, we will follow him. People can do anything to save their existence. His existence was at the stake. He was not respected; he was being abused," Mandal said.