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Devesh Kumar

‘Nitish Kumar wanted to become Vice President,’ says Sushil Kumar Modi

Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar has claimed that close aids of Nitish Kumar asked to make him Vice President. (Hindustan Times)

His statements come a day after Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar Chief Minister after snapping ties with BJP and going back to his previous coalition with RJD and the Congress. This was his eighth oath in 22 years.

The BJP MP claimed that Nitish decided to break the coalition only after the party couldn't accommodate his demand.

“Now he (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) will say that it's a lie. But two of his close aides spoke twice to Bihar senior leaders to find a way to make him Vice President. We said that it's not possible. It's 100% true (that this conversation took place)," BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi said to news agency ANI.

Nitish Kumar on Thursday "laughed off" the claims and attacked the BJP for such bogus accusations.

“Absolutely bogus, What a joke. I have no such desire. Did they forget how much our party supported their presidential and vice-presidential candidates? We were waiting for the elections to be over and then convened our meeting. Let them talk as much about me as they can. I am not concerned who is saying what. Moreover, he was not made anything. If he gets a place by speaking against me, I would not mind," he said, referring to Sushil Modi, according to Hindustan Times.

This was the second time Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP, after fighting elections of 2005 and 2010 together, JD(U) decided to walk away from NDA in 2013, only to come back in 2017. The JD(U) contested the assembly elections of Bihar 2020, as a member of the NDA.

After the assembly elections even though BJP was the senior partner in the coalition, the Chief Ministerial position was given to Nitish Kumar.

The BJP is also alleging that Nitish Kumar always had ambitions for a higher office and when he realized he couldn't achieve that, he broke away from the coalition.

Nitish Kumar floor test on Aug 24

Nitish Kumar with his new coalition will prove his majority on the floor of the house on 24 August. The date was decided after the first cabinet meeting of the new government and discussions with the Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Currently, Nitish Kumar has the support of 164 MLAs in the 243-member house.

Reports claim that the cabinet expansion is likely to take place on 16 August and the RJD is reported to have more ministers than JD(U). Congress is likely to have 2 or 3 representatives and the HAM may also get one seat.

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