Tieup with BJP only for Bihar, says Nitish Kumar

Patna: A day after JD(U) played down reports of strained relationship and differences over issues related to seat-sharing, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said that his party’s alliance with BJP was only for Bihar.

Mr Kumar gave the statement in Patna on Monday on the sidelines of his Lok Samvad programme. He clarified that the party has decided to expand its political base and contest elections in other states on its own.

“The JD(U) and BJP have been working together in Bihar and there is no trouble in running the government. But I want to clarify that there has been no discussion for the alliance at the national level,” Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said.

Mr Kumar also played down reports of unease over seat-sharing and said that “the JD(U), BJP and other NDA allies will sit and discuss the issue when the time comes. Everything being said on the issue is just speculations as there has been no offer from the BJP on seat-sharing”.

Sources said that the issue of seat-sharing is likely to come up for discussion during Nitish Kumar’s meeting with BJP president Amit Shah on July 12 in Patna.

JD(U) leaders are hopeful that they will be offered a respectable amount of seats by the BJP for the 2019 general elections.

Some of the earlier statements issued by JD(U) spokespersons indicates that the party wants to contest on more seats than other NDA partners in Bihar.