RJD, Congress natural allies of Nitish, says Ashok Gehlot

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday called Bihar chief minister and Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar’s decision to leave he grand alliance in 2017 as “his biggest blunder”, but gave a clear signal that the Congress is not averse to Mr Kumar’s return to the anti-BJP grouping before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the Congress and the RJD are the JD(U)’s “natural allies”.

Asked whether there were any moves to welcome back Mr Kumar to the grand alliance, Mr Gehlot said, “How can I reply to a hypothetical question. He left. He should not have left. It was his biggest blunder. How could a person, who had left the chief minister’s chair when Mr Modi was declared the BJP’s Prime Minister candidate and formed the grand alliance, leave? That is beyond my understanding”.

However, Mr Gehlot was quick to add that Mr Kumar’s natural place was with the Congress and the Lalu Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). “Lalu Prasad Yadav-Congress and Nitish Kumar are natural allies for Bihar and the country,” said Mr Gehlot.

Despite the Congress’ interest in getting the JD(U) back into the proposed alliance, Lalu Yadav’s son Tejashwi Yadav has been up in arms against the Bihar chief minister who ditched the “Mahagathbandhan” to join the NDA last year.

Questioned on this, Mr Gehlot said,  “He (Tejashwi) is angry. He (Nitish) had left. He shouldn’t have left.”

Within a year of walking out of the grand alliance and joining the NDA, Mr Kumar has apparently opened up a channel for negotiations with his erstwhile coalition partners, RJD and the Congress. Mr Kumar even called up RJD supremo Lalu Yadav, admitted to the Mumbai Heart Institute, to enquire about his health on Tuesday evening.

However, Tejashwi Yadav rebuffed the Mr Kumar’s rapprochement move with a high voltage personal attack on the Bihar chief minister. He said that though Mr Kumar was feeling “uncomfortable” in the NDA, “the door is closed” for his return to the grand alliance.

“Nothing but a late courtesy call to enquire about his health as he underwent fistula operation on Sunday. Surprisingly Nitishji got to know about his ill health after four months of hospitalisation. I hope he realises he is the last politician to enquire following BJP/NDA ministers visiting him,” Tejashwi Yadave said in a tweet.