Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of cheating their former alliance and the people of the state, soon after the Janata Dal (United) chief was sworn in.
“His mandate was anti-communal,” Gandhi said on Twitter. “He promised the people of Bihar that he will not join hands with the communal, divisive powers in the country. Nitish Kumar has cheated us.”
The Congress leader also claimed he knew this was going to happen about three to four months ago, adding that in politics, people would do anything for power.
Kumar took oath as Bihar’s chief minister on Thursday morning with the support of 53 MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He had resigned less than 24 hours ago, on Wednesday evening, after breaking off from the grand alliance. BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi was sworn in as his deputy.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also alleged that Kumar had an insatiable “lust for power”. “Conspiratorial treachery and rank political opportunism is the real DNA,” he tweeted.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also said that the developments in Bihar showed democracy in poor light. “This is now the third time that the BJP has formed a state government after losing an election,” he said. “Goa, Manipur and Bihar show our democracy in poor light.”
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India Sitaram Yechury also criticised Kumar for breaking the alliance. “Every few years Nitish Kumar takes oath as chief minister from different alliances,” Yechury said. “It is quite a record. Straightforward political opportunism.”
RJD also reacts
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav said, “I entered the government with a clean slate, with a keen desire of writing a positive story for the people of Bihar, only to find an opportunist rival.”
He also claimed there was a vendetta against him, though he had delivered more than what was expected of him, which had irked the BJP and JD(U). “Much to their dismay, they were unable to point out a single lacuna in my performance,” he said. “So [they] resorted to low-level vindictive and opportunistic politics.”
BJP congratulates new government
Meanwhile, good wishes poured in for Nitish Kumar and Sushil Kumar Modi from various quarters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was looking forward to work with the newly-formed government in Bihar for the state’s progress and prosperity.
Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Arun Jaitley also tweeted their congratulations.
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