Chinks in JDU: Prashant Kishor opposes Nitish Kumar's stand on Citizenship Amendment Bill

Janata Dal (United) Vice President Prashant Kishor has raised a voice of revolt against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for JDU's support to Citizenship Amendment Bill in Parliament on Monday. Kishor has expressed his disappointment over Bill granting India citizenship to immigrants from neighbouring countries on basis of religion. In a tweet ahe of vote in Lok Sabha over bill, Kishor slammed JDU for toeing a line against secularism and Gandhian ideals. lower house passed CAB with 311 votes in favour while just 80 votes against.

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Prashant Kishor while speaking to Republic TV attacked Nitish Kumar saying, "Gandhian ideology and support for Citizenship amendment bill cant go toger. One has to leave, eir of two." JDU parliamentary party leer Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh while supporting bill in Parliament, stated:

"We support this bill. This bill should t be seen in light of majority or mirity living in country. This bill is in favour of secularism. This bill is for those people who were citizens of this country before its partition into Bharat and Pakistan. We always re reports about persecution of people of mirity communities in Pakistan. one can deny fact that people of mirity communities in Pakistan be it Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Christians or Parsis face different s of atrocities. y are forced to change ir religion and if persecuted mirities of Pakistan are given Indian citizenship n it's right thing."

RJD targets Nitish over CAB

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Revolt, t first time

This isn't first time Kishor, who is chief campaign strategist of JDU, has opposed party's line. Earlier as well he h questioned Nitish Kumar's move to join hands with BJP in 2017 from a public platform. After this statement, relationship between Kishor and Nitish Kumar got strained for a while.

JDU spokesperson and Bihar Minister Neeraj Kumar while speaking to Republic TV said that "JDU believes in secularism and Gandhian ideology. India was divided on basis of religion into two parts – India and Pakistan – and Gandhiji consented to it. party has me its views clear on citizenship amendment bill in Parliament. It is Prashant Kishor's personal view (to oppose it)". Kishor is working for CM Mamta Banerjee in Bengal where stakes are too high for him as TMC is up against BJP on NRC and CAB.

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Nitish Kumar cautious over NRC, CAB ahe of state polls

At same time, Nitish Kumar, who faces an election for Bihar Vidhan Sabha in 2020, is cautious in his approach of t falling into trap of BJP by opposing NRC and CAB fearing NDA ally will seize opportunity to polarize voters on communal lines. In 2013, JDU parted ways with BJP and tasted defeat in general election following year forcing Kumar to align with RJD and Congress to win power in Bihar in 2015. By supporting BJP on NRC and CAB, JDU wants to enhance its bargaining power in terms of more seats and play role of big bror in next year's Assembly polls. Nitish Kumar wants to contest at least 20 seats more than BJP.

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