Merger ball in RLD's court, says Nitish

Amid reports that chances of merger of JD(U) and RLD of Ajit Singh are almost over, JD(U) president Nitish Kumar said the initiative to this effect had come from RLD and so this should be answered by them only.
"Initiative to this (merger) had come from Rashtriya Lok Dal itself. They should answer this (if chances of merger are over)," Kumar, also Bihar Chief Minister, told reporters here.
Kumar, whose slogan of "sangh-mukt" country has triggered a national debate and also a talk over his chances of becoming Prime Minister after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said he has already made it clear that he has no claim for the PM post.

"At JD(U) National Council meeting (that ratified Kumar's appointment as party President in place of Sharad Yadav) recently I had said categorically there is no claim from my side for PM post," he said.
Asked that NCP president Sharad Pawar has described him as PM material from the grouping of anti-BJP parties, Kumar said he was indebted to Pawar who is among "the seniormost leaders of the country".
To another question about state Congress' view that Rahul Gandhi alone is the PM candidate, Kumar did not give any specific reply.

Congress minister Madan Jha was present at the press conference.

Kumar said, "He (Jha) is sitting here as Revenue minister in my government. This is not a meeting of the Grand Secular Alliance."
On invitation from Nepal to attend Buddha Purnima programme on May 21, Kumar said the invitation has been sent to External Affairs ministry and he was waiting for their comment on the trip.
About media reports that PM Narendra Modi wants Kumar to travel with him to Lumbini, which is being seen as his closeness with him post-Bihar poll, Kumar said he has no knowledge of this.
Kumar said he will attend anti-liquor programmes at Dhanbad in Jharkhand and in Lucknow and Varanasi in UP.

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Asked that JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, for whom his government had rolled out red carpet during his two-day visit ending yesterday, has spoken against prohibition in the country, Kumar said he explained merits of the alcohol ban to Kanhaiya when he met him.
"He might have spoken something against prohibition due to inadequate information on the subject," he said.
Kumar defended ban on alcohol by his government and favoured similar initiative elsewhere and said "drinking liquor cannot be the fundamental right of any citizen."
Under Constitution it is the fundamental duty of a state to protect health of citizens by putting a stop on liquor, he said.

Kumar questioned the seriousness of NDA government about the probe into the AgustaWestland chopper deal.
"Why were they sitting over it for all these days when UPA government had ordered CBI inquiry into the deal?" the Chief Minister asked.
Hitting out at BJP-led NDA government, Kumar said "They always have double standards. When some allegation is levelled against their leader, they are defensive but goes ballistic against rivals."
On the logjam in Parliament, the new JD(U) president blamed the NDA government for it.
"They think that only they have lung power to shout. Others are not observing 'maun' (silence) and they can also shout them down," he said.