'Did not speak of retirement': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar opens up on 'last election' remarks

In the recently concluded Bihar polls campaign, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'last election' remark had triggered intense speculations about his political future. On Thursday, Nitish clarified his remark and said that it was misinterpreted and that this year's election is not his last. The JDU chief also said that he will continue working with the same dedication if he required to work in the future.

'I always say the same thing at the last rally'

"I did not talk about retirement. In the last meeting, I always say the same thing at the last rally in every election that 'ant bhala to sab bhala' (all is well that ends well). If you listen to speech back and forth, everything will be clear," the Chief Minister said while interacting with journalists. 

Nitish Kumar was talking to journalists here for the first time after results for the Assembly Elections came out and the NDA got a clear majority, though his own party suffered a slump and got outperformed by the junior partner BJP. The JD(U) won 43 seats against the BJP's 71.

Then too, JD(U) leaders came out with a clarification that "aakhiri chunaav" meant "aakhiri chunaavi sabha" (last election meeting) and Kumar was not talking about retirement. In a rally at Damdaha in Purnia, as campaigning for the third and last phase of the poll Nitish said, "Yeh mera antim chunav hai. Ant bhala, toh sab bhala. (This is my last election. All is well that ends well)".

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'I have been selflessly serving people'

The 69-year-old Chief Minister, who has been in power since 2005, appeared unhappy over projections of a strong anti-incumbency during the elections and predictions of a rout of the ruling dispensation. "I have been selflessly serving people. Still, some people succeeded in creating some confusion. You must have noted the anxieties triggered in public mind following the projections of the exit polls," Kumar said.

On being asked who will be the next Chief Minister, Kumar replied, "I have made no claim, the decision will be taken by NDA. The decision on the date of swearing-in after an informal meeting with NDA partners tomorrow."

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