Let BJP make an offer, then we’ll decide: Nitish on seat sharing

TIL Desk/National/Patna/Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United president Nitish Kumar on Sunday stressed on his opposition to corruption, crime and communalism, and asserted that those thinking of marginalising his party in the state would stand marginalised.

Kumar’s comments at the party’s national executive meeting came amid a strain in his ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party and appears to be a message to his ally, some of whose leaders have been linked to alleged communal tensions and violence in the state.

Amid speculation over his future move, Kumar, during the meeting, barely touched on the contentious issue of sharing of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar among National Democratic Alliance parties, saying the Bharatiya Janata Party is yet to make a proposal.

Only when the BJP makes a proposal, the JD-U can decide if it is in the party’s interest, Kumar said, according to JD-U secretary general K C Tyagi. Briefing reporters, Tyagi also sought to scotch speculation that his party wanted to revive its alliance with the Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal, calling it ‘corrupt’. He said his party is in the NDA and will fight the 2019 elections together with its allies.