JD(U) alliance is with BJP, not RSS: Nitish Kumar

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has brushed aside criticism of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which had raised ideological objections to his criticism directed at Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

Kumar said his party, the Janata Dal (United), was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and not the RSS, which is BJP's parent organisation.

"I will react to BJP if it has to say something. But I have no relation with RSS and so it would make little sense if I were to react to what RSS has to say," Kumar said. "RSS had even opposed me in 2004, when I, during my speech in the Lok Sabha, advocated reservation for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims."

The chief minister had, in an interview with ET, attacked his Gujarat counterpart without naming him. Kumar had said BJP-led coalition's prime ministerial candidate should be secular, a comment that was interpreted as his opposition to Modi's projection to the post. Subsequently, Kumar's party made it clear that it would sever ties with BJP if the party were to foist Modi upon the coalition. RSS, however, questioned Kumar's assertion, saying there was nothing wrong if somebody who believed in Hindutva became the prime minister.

Nitish blasts centre on coal linkage

On Monday, the chief minister also renewed his attack on the Centre for denying his state coal linkage for capacity expansion of the state-run Barauni thermal power station.

"I rang up the prime minister. I told him if Bihar has to live in darkness, let it be. I have nothing to say if you are unable to do justice with Bihar," he said, adding that the PM had again assured him that he would look into the matter.

Kumar said after the coal minister turned down the state government's pleas, an all-party delegation called on the prime minister on April 6.

"We got the impression that the prime minister will act and see that the coal ministry revises its decision. But on June 29, we received a letter from the coal ministry saying coal linkage would not be feasible for BTPS. It seems the meeting with the PM was of no consequence. I have again spoken to the PM to register our complaints," he said.