Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said Nitish Kumar did not do the right thing by exiting INDIA bloc, calling his conduct not good for democracy.
Kejriwal made the remark at a press conference responding to a question about Nitish forming a new government with BJP in Bihar.
“I feel this is wrong and he should not have left. Such conduct is not good for democracy,” Kejriwal said. Nitish on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying “things were not working well” for him in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ or the grand alliance and the opposition bloc INDIA, and formed a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar’s decision to join the NDA is correct and taken at the right time for the development of Bihar, BJP ally and Republican Party of India (A) chief Ramdas Athawale said on Monday.
Kumar took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record ninth time on Sunday after a dramatic volte-face, ditching the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and the opposition INDIA bloc, and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
Athawale said the opposition terming Kumar as “Paltu Ram” is not justified. “Nitish Kumar’s decision is correct and he has taken it at the right time for the development of Bihar. This is a challenge to the Congress,” he said.
“He has joined the NDA to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all welcome him,” the RPI (A) chief said.
On the opposition calling Kumar an opportunist, Athawale said, “He is not an opportunist but the Congress is.” Kumar on Sunday had announced that he was leaving the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance which includes the RJD, the Congress and Left parties) in Bihar and the opposition INDIA bloc, of which he was the coarchitect. The INDIA bloc was formed to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls due in April-May.