Sushil Modi explains Nitish's 'BJP pressurised me to be CM' remark, quips 'all is well '

Amid a tussle between JDU and BJP in the aftermath of political developments in Arunachal Pradesh, questions have been raised over the well being of ruling NDA alliance in Bihar and weather Nitish Kumar will continue to be the CM. Reacting to this, former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi has said that the NDA alliance is strong and developments in Arunachal would not affect the equation within Bihar leaders.

Speaking at an event to pay tributes to his late BJP leader Arun Jaitley on his birth anniversary, Sushil Modi said that Jaitley played an important role in maintaining the ties between JDU and BJP and had also facilitated the comeback of Nitish. On Nitish's statement that he didn't want to be CM, Sushil Modi explained, "What he wanted to say is that BJP and JDU leaders pressurised him to be CM because the mandate of people was for him. He didn't mean to say force. He was not ready to be the CM but we told him that the elections were conducted using his face and people voted for him, so then he took up the post. There is no problem in the alliance. I am sure the NDA will flourish with teh cooperation of new JDU president RCP Singh ji."

This comes after Nitish Kumar said that it was BJP who persuaded him to become the Chief Minister and that he is not greedy for the post. This comes after Nitish left the post of JDU president and the party-appointed Nitish's close aide RCP Singh to the top post. 

'I Am Not Greedy For Post, BJP Pressurised Me To Be CM': Nitish Kumar After Arunachal Jolt

Nitish quits as JDU CM, places aide

In a major development, Janata Dal-United chose Nitish Kumar's close aide - RCP Singh as its new president on Sunday at their National party council. Ram Chandra Prasad Singh has been the JDU's Rajya Sabha Member since  2010. RCP Singh-  a former bureaucrat from UP IAS cadre - was also principal secretary to Nitish Kumar.  60 executive members of the party met in the first half of the day and members of the National Council met in the second half at the Party HQ in Patna.

READ | BJP attempts damage control as 6 JDU Arunachal MLAs jump ship; Nitish's camp huddles up

Jolt in Arunachal for JDU

On Friday, the  Janata Dal-United received a major jolt in Arunachal Pradesh, with six of its seven MLAs shifting allegiance to the ruling BJP, a bulletin issued by the state legislative assembly said. The JD(U) MLAs who switched sides are Talem Taboh from Rumgong Assembly Constituency, Hayeng Mangfi (Chayang Tajo), Jikke Tako (Tali), Dorjee Wangdi Kharma (Kalaktang), Dongru Siongju (Bomdila) and Kanggong Taku from Mariyang-Geku constituency, the bulletin said. On November 26, the JD(U) had issued show-cause notices to Siongju, Kharma and Taku for "anti-party" activities, and suspended them. The six JD(U) MLAs had earlier elected Talem Taboh as the new Legislature Party leader allegedly without the knowledge of senior party members. 

READ | Nitish Kumar's JDU plans 75-seat West Bengal election entry; asks BJP to consider alliance

BJP attempts damage control

BJP on Saturday attempted damage control even as JDU MLAs joined the saffron party. BJP asserted that it had "not poached" MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh and underscored that the disgruntled legislators had switched sides of their own accord. Calling Nitish Kumar the "guardian" of the NDA alliance in Bihar, Renu Devi, one of the Deputy CMs in Bihar, said that the development in Arunachal would not affect the tie-up in Bihar.

READ | RJD challenges Nitish Kumar to snap ties with BJP following Arunachal developments