Nitish's 'don't know friends from foes' indicates NDA infighting; govt won't survive: RJD

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Shivanand Tiwari on Sunday said that the statement of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar regarding not knowing who his friends are and who the enemies is the result of infighting in the state government between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal-United (JDU). Speaking further, the RJD leader also said that when the government has so much infighting then it means it won't survive for long. 

This statement by Shivanand Tiwari comes amid the reports of internal chaos within BJP and JD(U). Earlier on Saturday, CM Nitish Kumar said that he is unaware of who is his friend and who are the enemies in politics. 

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Nitish Kumar Turns Bitter Amid BJP-JD(U) Tussle

In what seemed an indirect attack at the BJP, Kumar said that the seat distribution within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the recently concluded assembly elections should have been done five months prior to the polls. CM Nitish added that it is because of the delay that JD(U) suffered a blow in the elections. He also said that false propaganda was spread against JD(U), in a dig at LJP's Chirag Paswan, who contested the polls against Nitish but with PM Narendra Modi. While Nitish reiterated that BJP pressurised him to be the CM, he also commented on the issue of (National Register of Citizens) NRC in Bihar. 

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Bihar CM said, "the seat distribution within the NDA should have been done five months prior to the elections but that was not done and as a result, JD(U) had to pay a big price for it. I was not in favour of becoming the Chief Minister but because of the pressure of BJP and my party, I agreed to assume the post. People voted for us wherever we asked them and there was no confusion from our side. But false propaganda was spread against me and my party," he added. "We failed to anticipate who were our friends and who were not and on whom we should have trusted. After the election campaign, we got to understand that things were not conducive for us but by that time it was too late."

Nitish Kumar further said that govt will not implement NRC in Bihar and his party will oppose it even if it is attempted. Earlier, Nitish's govt had passed a resolution in favour of the old format of NPR, becoming the first NDA ally to do so. Though Nitish did not take any names and advised JD(U) workers to forget what happened in the assembly polls and look ahead, his remarks are yet another proof of the strained relationship between NDA partners - BJP and JD(U) - more so, after Nitish's party MLAs joined the saffron camp in Arunachal Pradesh.

READ | 'Don't Know Who Is Friend Or Foe': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Turns Bitter Amid BJP-JDU Tussle

BJP-JD(U) power tussle

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

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