Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale addressing a press conference in Patna on July 29, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can return to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) anytime. Speaking to reporters in Patna, Mr. Athawale praised the Bihar CM for his “good work in the State”. He also labelled the next Opposition meeting in Mumbai a failure and asked Mr. Kumar not to attend it.
“Nitishji is with us and he can return to the NDA anytime. Earlier he was with RJD [Rashtriya Janata Dal] and he returned to NDA and again he has gone to RJD. I am not happy that Nitishji has left us again. He is a seasoned politician and I want to ask one thing – if at all he wanted to go with RJD then why did he return to BJP? I have had good relations with Nitishji from the time he was Railway Minister in the regime of [former PM] Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” Mr. Athawale said.
Interestingly, BJP leaders of Bihar have been constantly saying that the door for Mr. Kumar has been shut forever. Even Union Minister Amit Shah during his visit in April had categorically stated this in his speech. Earlier this month, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi said that even if Mr. Kumar “rubs his nose at BJP’s door, the party will not accept him”. Mr. Modi had said that the BJP carried him for 17 long years but the party will neither accept nor carry him in the future.
BJP State president Samrat Choudhary has been continuously attacking Mr. Kumar over several issues and he too has said many times that BJP will never accept him anymore.
Mr. Athawale said despite Janata Dal (United) getting fewer seats in the 2020 Assembly election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi allowed Mr. Kumar to continue in the post of Chief Minister.
“Nitishji has a very good relation with Modiji, that’s why the PM made him Bihar CM. So, I will request him not to attend the Mumbai meeting of the Opposition because it is going to be of no use,“ Mr. Athawale added.
On Friday, poll strategist Prashant Kishor said that Mr. Kumar “has not closed the door for talks with the BJP” citing the example of JD(U) leader Harivansh Narayan Singh who is currently the Deputy Chairman in Rajya Sabha. Mr. Harivansh has raised eyebrows of late for his perceived proximity to the BJP.
Mr. Athawale claimed that Mr. Kumar had left the Bengaluru meeting midway because he did not like the name ‘INDIA’ suggested by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the coalition. He termed INDIA as “Introduction Negative Date Idea Alliance”.
Mr. Athawale claimed that in the 2024 election, NDA can win more than 350 seats. “In the last Lok Sabha election, BJP emerged as the single largest party. Opposition parties are envious of the PM becoming the most popular leader and this has forced them to unite. However, in 2024, NDA can win more than 350 seats,” Mr. Athawale asserted.
He praised the contributions of people of Bihar by pointing out that a large number of people of Bihar stay in Mumbai and Delhi. He said that even a country like Mauritius has Biharis living in large numbers.
When asked about atrocities on women in Manipur, Mr. Athawale defended the Centre saying that atrocities against women are seen in every State and the government is serious on the Manipur issue.
“The Opposition team has gone to Manipur and they are demanding that the PM visit the place but even Rajasthan sees a lot of atrocities against women. Crimes against women are also taking place in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar and some pockets of Maharashtra as well. So, the PM can take a call on which place he wants to visit,” Mr. Athawale said.
The Union Minister was in Patna to take part in the release of a book on former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The late Union Minister’s younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras was also present at the function along with BJP MLC Sanjay Paswan. Mr. Athawale also visited Munger to take stock of his department’s work in the district.
