Rahul questions Bihar CM's secular credentials

PATNA: In an apparent bid to woo back minority voters to Congress, party's youth icon Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's secular credentials, saying Kumar has partnered with a party that pursues divisive policies.

"You don't have qualms about collaborating with the saffron party but you raise a hue and cry to keep off its two leaders. What is this?" asked the AICC general secretary while addressing election rallies in Korha, Sikti and Nirmali assembly constituencies in north Bihar.

"It is not a question of two individual leaders. What matters is the ideology," Rahul said and alleged what happened in Gujarat (communal riots) with a BJP government in the state and NDA in power at Centre, was spawned by this ideology.

Rahul tried to strike a chord with "brilliant and hardworking" Biharis by referring to violence against them in other states. "Why did Nitish Kumarji kept mum when workers of an NDA constituent beat up Biharis in Maharashtra and targeted women in other parts of the country?" he asked.

If Punjab and Maharashtra are developing, it is because of the Biharis who are working there, he said and added when the entire Delhi sleeps, Biharis work on the Metro project. "Bihar used to lead the nation, but is now at a crossroads," he said while regretting that migration was still on as there were no jobs in the home state.