Had no desire to become CM, BJP could have the post, says Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said he had no desire to become the Chief Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party could make its own Chief Minister

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said he had no desire to become the Chief Minister and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could make its own Chief Minister.

During the JD(U)'s national executive meeting, Kumar said that he is not attached to the position. "I had no desire to become the Chief Minister. I had said that the public had given its mandate and anyone can be made the Chief Minister, BJP could make its own Chief Minister," said Kumar.

The statement comes days after six of seven legislators of the Janata Dal (United) in Arunachal Pradesh defected to its NDA partner, BJP.

However, Kumar had earlier made it clear that the developments of Arunachal Pradesh will have no bearing on Bihar's politics as there is "no dispute" in its alliance government in Bihar.

Nitish had recently quit from the post of party chief and handed over JD(U) to party leader Ramchandra Prasad Singh.

Kumar is heading National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar having JD(U), BJP, Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) as its constituents.

The NDA had secured a 125-seat majority in the 243-seat Bihar Legislative Assembly in November. The BJP secured 74 seats, JD(U) 43 while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents.