Prashant Kishor attacks Nitish Kumar over CAB, says 'Non-BJP CMs must clarify stance'

In a pointed attack at Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, on Friday, JD(U) Vice- President and political strategist Prashant Kishor said that while the Citizenship Amendment Act had passed the parliament, it was now upon the state CMs to clarify their stance. Stating Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh's stance against the Act, he added that all other CMs should clarify their stance alluding to Nitish Kumar. Kishor had previously condemned JD(U)'s support to the Bill.

JDU rift over CAB explodes: Prashant Kishor reminds CM Nitish Kumar of 'victory of 2015'

Kishor's veiled attack at Nitish Kumar on CAB

Prashant Kishor ramps up opposition to CAB; makes dire prediction about 'CAB + NRC combo'

Kishor slams JD(U) on CAB 

Earlier on Thursday, Kishor had termed CAB and National Register of Citizens (NRC) -  a "lethal combo" in the hands of the government to 'systematically discriminate and prosecute people based on religion.' Kishor has vocally opposed the bill since its introduction in the Parliament, a contrast to JD(U)'s the official stance on the issue. He even issued a Mahagathbandhan reminder to the JD(U), alluding that the JDU wouldn’t have so much leverage without its 2015 electoral performance. Bihar State Assembly goes to polls in 2020. 

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

Rift in JDU

Kishor who is considered the key architect of the 2015 victory of the Mahagatbandhan in Bihar along with leaders like Pawan Varma, has been opposing the party's support to CAB. Earlier as well he had questioned Nitish Kumar's move to join hands with the BJP in 2017 from a public platform. Moreover, as Kishor is also working with Banerjee on her upcoming State Assembly polls in 2021, his opposition to NRC and CAB is seen by JD(U) as a calculated choice.

PM Modi slams Congress for 'instilling violence in North-East' over CAB, appeals to Assam

What is CAB?

On Thursday, President Ram Nath Kovind signed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 (CAB), making it a law. The Citizenship Amendment Act amends the Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship.  Moreover, the Bill exempts exempt the inner line permit areas in Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh and areas falling under the Sixth Schedule in the region and will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014.