Nitish Kumar forged 'unholy alliance' with BJP 'under pressure': CPI(ML) Liberation

Patna: The CPI (ML) Liberation on Monday alleged that Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar forged an 'unholy alliance' with the BJP in the state 'under pressure'.

Mehbood Alam, the CPI(ML) Liberation legislature party leader in the Bihar Assembly charged the BJP with 'hijacking' Nitish Kumar.

"Nitish Kumar has been hijacked by the BJP. We demand a thorough probe to find out the reasons that compelled Nitish Kumar to forge an alliance with the NDA. What were his (Nitish) compulsions…('Kya majbooriyan thi unki') …people of Bihar want to know it. This alliance is unholy and unnatural", Alam told PTI on Monday.

The CPI(ML) Liberation, a constituent of the previous grand alliance government in Bihar, has 12 sitting MLAs in the state Assembly.

When asked whether Nitish Kumar will survive the trust vote on February 12 in the state assembly, Alam said, "We (MLAs of the CPI(ML) Liberation) will not remain a mute spectator. Time will tell if Nitish Kumar is able to survive the trust vote on February 12 or not. The people of Bihar will not forgive Nitish Kumar for this betrayal. The people will give a befitting reply to such political opportunism".

Alam said, 'Nitish Kumar and those who are making him dance to their tunes will have to face the consequences…This act of Nitish Kumar is an insult to the people of Bihar. We will not tolerate it at any cost. Now the 'Khel' not 'Khela' has started. Wait for the result on February 12, the day the Nitish Kumar government will seek trust vote'.

Asked about reports of Bihar Congress taking its MLAs to Hyderabad fearing poaching, Alam said, 'I will not comment on this as it is Congress party's internal matter. As far as CPI (ML) Liberation MLAs are concerned, I can say with full confidence that no one can poach them. We are an ideology-based party and that is our asset'.

The newly formed NDA government, headed by Nitish Kumar, will seek trust vote on February 12, when the assembly's budget session commences. The Nitish Kumar-led government has 128 members supporting the BJP-JD(U) led government. The magic figure for the majority is 122 in the 243-member Bihar Assembly.