'Don't know who is friend or foe': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar turns bitter amid BJP-JDU tussle

Amid reports of internal chaos within NDA partners in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday evening said that he is unaware of who is his friend and who are enemies in politics. In what seemed an indirect attack at BJP, Kumar said that seat distribution within National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for recently concluded assembly elections should have been done five months prior to poll. CM Nitish ded that it is because of delay that his Janata Dal (United) suffered a blow. He also said that false propaganda was spre against JDU, in a dig at LJP's Chirag Paswan, who contested polls against Nitish but with PM Narendra Modi. While Nitish reiterated that BJP pressurised him to be CM, he also commented on issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC).

" seat distribution within NDA should have been done five months prior to elections but that was t done and as a result, JDU h to pay a big price for it. I was t in favour of becoming chief minister but because of pressure of BJP and my party, I agreed to assume post. People voted for us wherever we asked m and re was confusion from our side. But false propaganda was spre against me and my party," he ded. "We failed to anticipate who were our friends and who were t and on whom we should have trusted. After election campaign, we got to understand that things were t conducive for us but by that time it was too late," he said.

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Nitish Kumar furr said that National Register of Citizens (NRC) will t be implemented in Bihar and his party will oppose it even if it is attempted. Earlier, Nitish govt h passed a resolution in favour of old format of NPR, becoming first NDA ally to do so. Though Nitish did t take any names and vised JDU workers to forget what happened in assembly polls and look ahe, his remarks are yet ar proof of strained relationship between NDA partners - BJP and JDU - more so, after Nitish's party MLAs joined saffron camp in Arunachal Presh.

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Nitish Kumar's cabinet expansion

Just a day earlier, Nitish h said that discussion took place on expansion of newly formed cabinet in state. After meeting  top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leers at his official residence 1 Anne Marg in Patna, Kumar said that matter did t come up for discussion. "As of w, re are 14 members in state Cabinet. issue (of Cabinet expansion) was t taken up for discussion at meeting (with BJP leers) yesterday (January 7)," said Kumar. As per rules, a maximum of 36 ministers, including Chief Minister, can be appointed to 243-member Bihar Assembly.

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BJP-JDU power tussle

2020 Bihar Assembly election witnessed a voter turut of 57.05 per cent as against that of 56.66 per cent in 2015 polls.  polls turned out to be a nail-biting contest with NDA emerging victorious in 125 seats as against that of 110 seats won by Mahagatbandhan. BJP, RJD, JD(U), Congress won 74, 75, 43, and 19 seats respectively. BJP winning more seats than JD(U) for first time in a Bihar Assembly election led to speculation that JD(U)'s clout in alliance will reduce. LJP is believed to have damd JD(U)'s prospects in 32 seats despite bagging a solitary seat. While Kumar again took oath as CM of Bihar, BJP has two Deputy CMs in 4-time MLAs Tarkishore Pras and Renu Devi. 

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