Nitish Kumar refuses to take question on NDA PM candiate

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today refused to speak more than what he had said yesterday on the NDA's prime ministerial candidate even as some state BJP leaders conveyed to the party high command their strong resentment against his comments on Narendra Modi.

Emerging out of "Janata ke darbar mein mukhyamantri" programme at his 1 Anne marg residence, the Bihar CM told reporters he had talked enough yesterday and had nothing more to add today.

Saying this, he left without entertaining any question. But some JD(U) leaders carried the baton, saying the party cannot compromise on its secular principle for keeping the NDA coalition intact.

"JD(U) strongly believes in secular ideology and wants to take along all the castes and communities on the path of development...if any party has problem in this we cannot help it," state party spokesman Neeraj Kumar said.

Deveshchand Thakur, former minister and a close confidante of the CM, said, "If somebody thinks time has come for aar-paar ki ladai (do or die battle) we are ready."

JD(U) had yesterday gave an eight-month deadline to its ally BJP to declare its prime ministerial candidate having "secular credibility beyond doubt" for the next general election.