 "Nitish Kumar Bihar")
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' entered Bihar via Kishanganj on Monday, a day after the party's state ally Janata Dal (United) turned its back on the Opposition's INDIA or Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on Sunday, made a return to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance, giving a major setback to the INDIA bloc, which is already struggling to iron out the regional differences with other allies such as the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi
.Party (AAP) in Punjab.
.Party (AAP) in Punjab.
Amid the escalating chaos, the Congress has put on a brave face as it attempted to bring back the focus on the 'Nyay Yatra' campaign while labelling Kumar a 'chameleon' for his abrupt u-turn.
Bid to weaken INDIA bloc, says Congress
Congress in-charge of communication and senior party leader Jairam Ramesh, earlier this morning, took a dig at Kumar, saying "Even a chameleon had to search for a new colour as these brave men change theirs so many times every day."
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari alleged that the move was a bid to weaken the INDIA bloc, the alliance of 28 non-BJP parties. "…Their ministers, such as Giriraj Singh, used to abuse him (Nitish Kumar) a lot. They should be ashamed now, there are boundaries even in politics," he said.
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"Opportunism is at its peak in the country. This is only for power. Whether it is PM Modi, Amit Shah or Nitish Kumar, everyone is opportunistic. Neither they are not bothered about a religion, nor they have an ideology. They only want power," Congress leader Digvijay remarked on Monday.
Lalu's RJD fumes at former ally, poster war in Patna
A poster war also emerged in Bihar's capital city Patna, with the former alliance partner of Nitish in the state, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), slamming him for his actions. "Huzur, mai kursi ke liye kuch bhi karega (sir, I will do anything for power)," a caricature of Nitish is seen bowing down to that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a giant poster put out outside RJD office in Patna.
In the adjacent, another poster read "paltu ram" - a dig at Kumar by his former allies for his "frequent tendency" to switch sides.
Notably, a day earlier, posters labelled "Nitish is everyone's" surfaced in the capital, showing the Bihar CM with PM Modi.
Posters "thanking" the RJD leader and former Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav for "fulfilling his promises" during his short-lived tenure, also appeared amid the political shake-up.
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece Saamana slams Nitish
"...Kumar took the initiative to bring everyone together and called the first meeting of all anti-BJP forces in Patna and made it successful. Nitish, in that meeting, gave a speech saying that the country is in crisis, the Constitution is in danger, the central investigative agencies are being misused and it is in the national interest that we all should put aside our differences and come together to protect democracy… but that determination has now been exposed and Nitish Kumar has switched sides," Saamana's editorial slammed the Bihar CM.
Nitish's decision for development, BJP mocks Congress
"Nitish Kumar's decision is a great setback for the INDIA bloc. His decision is for the development of Bihar…It is not right to call him 'Paltu Ram'. Certain decisions have to be made at the right time, and he did it," Union minister Ramdas Athawale said, reacting to the incident.
On Sunday evening, PM Modi also congratulated Nitish on forming the government with the BJP-led NDA.
Rahul Gandhi to hold big rally in Purnia
Notably, Bihar's Kishanganj, from where the Nyay Yatra entered the state, is considered a Congress' stronghold.
Gandhi is scheduled to address a public meeting in Kishanganj and a big rally in the adjoining district of Purnea on Tuesday and another one in Katihar a day later, according to party officials. INDIA allies RJD president Lalu Prasad and CPI(ML)-L general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya have also been invited to the rally at Purnea.
Notably, the Congress said an invite was also extended to Nitish Kumar, which the Bihar CM has accepted.
(With agency inputs)
