Fernandes' guidance was of great importance: Nitish Kumar

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Tuesday said former union minister George Fernandes had played an important role in shaping his political career and guiding him.

Kumar has announced a two-day state mourning following the socialist leader's demise.

Fernandes, a lifelong socialist despite his political adventurism that included Cabinet posts in two ideological opposite governments where he ousted Coca-Cola in 1977 and oversaw the Kargil war in 1999, died Tuesday. He was 88.

Kumar recounted the important role Fernandes had played in shaping his political career with the formation of the Samta Party in the 90s which was constituted to challenge Lalu Prasad, who was heading the Janata Dal government in the state.

"His guidance has been of great importance to all of us. It shall be our endeavour to live up to his expectations while we have the opportunity to serve the people," said a teary-eyed Kumar who, was accompanied by party colleagues such as JDU state president Vashishth Narayan Singh and Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.

Kumar, the JDU president, was speaking at a condolence meet at the party's headquarters here.

"Everybody has to die one day. And given his prolonged illness, it can be said that he found liberation in death. But it is a very sad day for people like us," Kumar told reporters.

A JDU leader said "we have seen him (Kumar)... so moved by the death of a political associate."