BJP to back Nitish even after polls: Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has asserted that the BJP will back CM Nitish Kumar for another term in office, rubbishing speculations that the NDA could push for a new face after the assembly polls due later this year.

In a freewheeling conversation with PTI here, Choudhary also said the possible entry of Kumar's son Nishant in politics was their ''personal'' matter and an ''internal'' affair of the JD(U), even as he dismissed Tejashwi Yadav, the NDA's principal challenger in the state, as a ''mere appointee'' of RJD president Lalu Prasad.

''The BJP is comfortable with Nitish Kumar, who has led the NDA in Bihar since 1996. So Nitish was (the leader) yesterday, he is so today and will remain so tomorrow,'' said the former state BJP chief.

A trenchant critique of Kumar until the JD(U) returned to the NDA last year, Choudhary made it clear that while in the opposition ''we were supposed to question the government. But, once in a coalition, the BJP is with its alliance partners 100 per cent''.

He also claimed, ''Nitish Kumar has himself said so many times that it was because of late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he became the chief minister. Even RJD president Lalu Prasad had become the CM with BJP's support. But he took a divergent path''.

''On the other hand, with Nitish Kumar we have the situation that he is working under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the national level, while in Bihar he is our leader,'' Choudhary said.

Asked about speculations that 47-year-old Nishant, who has so far stayed away from public life, may enter politics in the near future, Choudhary replied, ''It is a personal decision of Nitish ji and an internal matter of the JD(U). Whatever they decide, the BJP will be with them as an alliance partner.'' About another NDA partner Chirag Paswan, a union minister who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), he said the young MP from Hajipur was ''a tall leader who lends strength to the coalition''.

The BJP leader was also confident of the NDA winning ''more than 200 seats'' of the 243-strong assembly in the upcoming polls, thanks to the growth witnessed by the state under the ''double engine government''.

The term ''double engine'' is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state.

The deputy CM was, however, dismissive of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, the NDA's principal challenger, whom he called ''not a leader in his own right but merely an appointee of his father Lalu Prasad''. ''I have always said Tejashwi is just a baua (kid). The day Lalu ji says he wants Tej Pratap or Misa Bharti to be his political heir, nobody will care about Tejashwi,'' claimed Choudhary.

''Moreover, the people of Bihar can never forget the 15 years of lawlessness under the RJD. Marauders used to barge into homes and gun down the occupants. During the wedding of a daughter of Lalu Prasad, a car showroom was shoplifted,'' alleged Choudhary.

Ridiculing Yadav's attempts to create a buzz with populist promises, the deputy chief minister pointed out, ''The RJD was in power when prohibition was imposed but now they speak of giving relief to toddy tappers. Also, the very domicile policy he is now promising was scrapped when they were ruling Bihar.'' ''Tejashwi also boasts of things done while he was the deputy CM, unaware of the fact that all powers vested with the chief minister. His confidence stems from bringing in a party headed by his father. The elections will teach him that we are not a monarchy which could be ruled by a dynasty,'' Choudhary claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)