Congress terms Nitish Kumar joining Narendra Modi as "dream"

A senior Congress leader today brushed aside chances of JD(U) joining hands with BJP following Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's recent luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as only "dreams".
"BJP and BJP's friends are dreaming about it," All India Congress Committee Senior Spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad said at a press conference here.
He was replying to a query on the possibility of JD(U) joining hands with their old ally BJP again.
A day after he skipped a luncheon meeting of opposition parties called by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Kumar had met Modi on May 27 amid the buzz about growing bonhomie between the two leaders.

Modi had hosted a luncheon in honour of his visiting counterpart from Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth, which was also attended by Kumar, triggering political speculation about their growing proximity.
Ahmad lauded the JD(U)-RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar and gave its example to stop the victory march of BJP.

"In UP, if Mayawati ji had joined us in the alliance with Samajwadi party, the result would have been different.
"We should have an alliance there like that in Bihar," the Congress leader said.
Ahmad, however, dismissed the point that Modi's popularity has not gone down and cited example of recently held elections in five states.

"In the polling of five states, BJP were defeated in three. Of course, they had an astounding victory in UP and Uttarakhand. Anti-Modi parties must unite.
"We have been successful in stopping the BJP from implementing anti-people laws like amending the Land Acquisition Bill only because of a united opposition," he added.
Ahmad also criticised the government for "completely failing on national security front", both internally and externally.