Nitish tough on Congress, says it should set the agenda

Janata Dal-United Chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday asked the Congress to set an alternate narrative and agenda for the Opposition.

Addressing a press conference here, Kumar said, "I have said earlier also that the Congress is a big party and should set alternate narrative and agenda. Opposition needs an alternate narrative and just reactive narrative won't work".

He also sought to clear the air on the controversy concerning him and the Congress, which is part of ruling Grand Alliance in Bihar.

On Sunday, it was reported that Nitish had held Congress responsible for the mess in the Opposition over the Presidential elections.

His reported observation came after senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad had indirectly criticised Nitish Kumar for extending support to the National Democratic Alliance presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

Without naming Nitish, Azad had said that people who believe in one principle make one decision, but those who believe in several principles make different decision.

The Congress leader also said that he (Nitish) had taken the first step for defeating a Dalit leader (Oppostion's presidential candidate Meira Kumar) by extending support to Kovind.

Azad reacted after Nitish blamed Congress for fielding 'Bhiar ki beti' (daughter of Bihar) only to lose.

Kumar blamed media for reporting without any context.

"Yesterday (on Sunday), there was a meeting of party's state executive, which is generally a closed door one and it is a forum where all the issues are discussed," he said.

He said he didn't want to point out who leaked the proceedings of the party's state executive meeting, but lamented that such things shouldn't have happened.

The Bihar Chief Minister said that the JD-U had given a reply to whatever Azad had said and the matter was limited to the Presidential elections only.

"Congress is a part of Mahagathabandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar and it is our priority to fulfill the programmes of the Mahagathabandhan," Nitish said.

Photograph: PTI Photo