JD-U has no role in LJP crisis, says Nitish Kumar

Patna/New Delhi: With the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) seeing a leadership tussle, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said that his Janata Dal-United has no role in its crisis.

“We have no role in whatever is going on in the LJP at present. I don’t know why they are dragging the JD-U and its leaders into it. I believe they blame us to achieve publicity,” he said while interacting with media persons in the national capital.

Nitish Kumar’s statement came soon after LJP chief Chirag Paswan wrote a letter alleging that he was involved in the “political killing” of his father and LJP founder, late Ram Vilas Paswan and seeking to do the same with him.

Chirag Paswan also accused Nitish Kumar of directly involvement in separating 5 MPs of the LJP from him.

Asked whether the 5 MPs may join his JD-U, Nitish Kumar clarified that Pashupati Kumar Paras, who led the revolt against Chirag Paswan, had already said that he and the other MPs of his camp are part of the NDA.

“I don’t know why people are angry with me even though we have no role in it.

“I came to Delhi for three days to undergo a health check-up. I have an appointment with doctors in a hospital in Delhi,” he said.

Asked about JD-U participation in the Union Cabinet, Nitish Kumar said that it is an executive right of PM Narendra Modi to include JD-U or not during any cabinet expansion.

“I don’t know why people are discussing cabinet expansion these days,” he asked.

On jailing of Jan Adhikar Party chief Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, Nitish Kumar said that the Bihar government has no role to play, and that he went to jail in an old case which was pending in court.