PM Modi’s praise for Nitish Kumar ends NDA rift

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday showered encomium on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and acknowledged how the JD(U) strongman had put the state on the fast track of development.

“Nitish Kumar has played a big role in establishing a new India and new Bihar,” said the PM while doling out more sops for poll-bound Bihar.

“Bihar lagged behind in terms of developments for years, be it road connectivity, power or other challenges, but Nitish ji played a big role towards new India and new Bihar,” said Modi.

The Prime Minister’s praise for Bihar Chief Minister, who is also the JD(U) president, comes at a time when the internal strife within the NDA is writ large. It is believed that Modi’s whole-hearted support to Nitish will defuse the crisis within the BJP-led alliance and make leaders like LJP chief Chirag Paswan, who questioned Nitish, fall in line.

“Chirag has already toned down his tone and tenor. He has clarified to the BJP top brass that he had nothing personal against Nitish and he was with the BJP and would contest the Bihar polls as an NDA ally,” a ruling party source told Deccan Herald here on Sunday.

This is a major climbdown by Chirag, who, a couple of days back, had threatened to contest 143 seats out of 243 constituencies in Bihar, besides showing a sign of no-confidence against Nitish, the NDA chief ministerial candidate.

“The ball (for ending rift within the NDA) was set rolling by BJP president JP Nadda, who held parleys with Nitish at the latter’s residence in Patna on Saturday,” said the source, refusing to be identified.

“Nadda Ji later met BJP leader Sushil Modi and also spoke to other allies, following which Chirag has mellowed down and the new ally Jitan Ram Manjhi too has stopped attacking the LJP chief. Now, all is well. In the next ten days, you will hear the seat-sharing formula for the four NDA allies – JD(U), BJP, LJP and HAM,” the ruling party source added.