In presence of Nadda, Nitish Kumar dubs alliances with RJD 'mistake'

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday termed his past alliances with arch rival Lalu Prasad's RJD as a "mistake" that he committed twice but was determined not to repeat again.

The JD(U) chief's remark came at a function where he shared the stage with Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, who is also the BJP's national president.

"Our relationship goes back to the 1990s... all the good work in Bihar has been done under our stewardship", said the JD(U) supremo, whose outfit was earlier called the Samata Party.

Referring to the RJD, without mentioning it by name, the CM said, "Those who were in power before me did nothing. It was a mistake on my part to have gone with them on two occasions. But I do not wish to repeat that mistake. I shall stay here (with the NDA)".

The Bihar Chief Minister, who had returned to the NDA in January, kept asserting during Lok Sabha polls, especially at rallies where he shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that he would now be with the BJP "forever".

Kumar's latest proclamation of loyalty towards the BJP, which has now lost majority in the Lok Sabha and become heavily dependent on allies like JD(U) to survive in power at the Centre, comes in the backdrop of his recent meeting with Lalu Prasad's son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who served as his deputy whenever he shared power with the RJD.

Although Yadav has clarified that he had gone to attend a meeting where his presence was required in his capacity as the leader of the opposition in the state assembly, a section of the media has been furiously speculating yet another volte face (palti) by Kumar, who has the dubious distinction of resigning and returning as Chief Minister six times in the past one decade.