Nitish Kumar accuses Rahul Gandhi of taking ‘fake credit’ for Bihar caste census: ‘Was urging INDIA bloc to…’

Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar has spoken on the INDIA bloc that he quit, after orchestrating its formation. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Nitish Kumar said that he had urged the opposition INDIA bloc to use a different name for the coalition.

Nitish Kumar, after parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2022, took on the initiative of uniting all opposition forces to jointly take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP-led coalition in the national election.

On Sunday, Nitish Kumar took oath as chief minister of Bihar for the ninth time at Raj Bhawan in Patna, switching sides again, this time with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

It was for the second time in two years that Nitish Kumar had jumped the ship, his fifth crossover in a little over a decade, preceding his ninth time as chief minister.

“I was urging them to choose another name for the alliance. But they had already finalised it. I was trying so hard. They did not do even one thing. Till today they haven't decided which party will contest how many seats. This is why I left them and came back to who I was with initially. I will keep working for the people of Bihar.” Nitish Kumar said.

Justifying his move to join the rival National Democratic Alliance, the Janata Dal (United) stalwart accused the INDIA bloc of inaction regarding seat-sharing agreements for the Lok Sabha assembly elections. Earlier, Nitish Kumar had cited the state of affairs being "not right" under the Mahagathbandhan alliance as his reason for quitting.

Nitish Kumar also attacked Congress MP from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi, saying he is trying to claim fake credit for the Bihar caste census.

"Has he forgotten when the caste census happened? I conducted it in the presence of nine parties. In 2019-2020, I would talk about conducting caste census everywhere, from Assembly to public meetings... He is taking fake credit, what can I do? Let it be," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday resumed his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' with a roadshow in Bihar’s Katihar district.

On the Enforcement Directorate's action against Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the land-for-job scam case, Nitish Kumar said, “Everyone is aware of the allegations against him (Lalu Prasad Yadav), investigation is underway. I am not aware of it much. Neither I have asked about it, nor anyone has told me anything about it.”