Nitish Kumar's tweet fuels speculation about unease over alliance with Lalu Prasad

NEW DELHI: Chief minister Nitish Kumar's cryptic tweet kicked up a row on Wednesday, forcing the JD(U) leader to clarify on whom the tweet was aimed at.

Kumar was asked on Twitter as to how he would ensure Bihar's development with RJD as partner, the JD-U leader tweeted: "Jo Raheem uttam prakriti ka kari sakat kusang, chandan vish vyapat nahin lapte rahat bhujang. (People of virtue are like a sandalwood tree, which does not lose its fragrance even if snakes surround it)."

The tweet kicked up speculations that all was not well with his alliance partner Lalu Prasad, with some opposition leaders saying he was indirectly referring to Yadav as vish (poison).

. @SunilVChandak Bihar’s development is my sole agenda.?? ???? ????? ???????, ?? ??? ??? ?????| ????? ??? ?????? ????, ????? ??? ????? ||

— Nitish Kumar (@NitishKumar) July 21, 2015

Kumar, however, was quick to clarify. "I have answered to a question where I said my agenda is development of Bihar,” said Nitish Kumar, adding that he was referring to the communalism of the BJP in his tweet.

"It was meant for the BJP," he told Times Now.

The BJP cashed in on the tweet to showcase the apparent fissures in the JD(U)-RJD combine as brought out by the outcome of the recent legislative council elections. Party leaders say the alliance with Lalu Prasad will serve as the political death-knell for Kumar and thus ensure that the NDA forms the next government in the state.

Watch: Nitish Kumar's tweet stirs controversy




"This election is going to be Nitish’s Waterloo," Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy told ET when asked about the JD(U)-RJD alliance.

BJP leaders said the results of the legislative council elections — in which the NDA won 13 out of 24 seats — show RJD voters have not cast their franchise in favour of JD(U) candidates. The ruling JD(U)-RJD combine won nine seats, while the Congress got one.

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said Kumar and Prasad have differences but reluctantly joined hands to meet the formidable challenge posed by the NDA. Kumar is not even using Prasad on his posters and this shows the divide between them, Hussain added.

Kumar has so far dismissed speculation on differences cropping up between him and Yadav over the Legislative Council poll results and over his recent decision to not attend the 'Iftar' party hosted by the RJD supremo.

(With ET Bureau inputs)