PATNA: Senior BJP functionary and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan flew down to Patna on Tuesday for a closed-door meeting with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar at a time when rumour mills are agog about rifts between the two parties.
Amid the war of words between the ruling JD(U) and BJP lately and huge protests in Bihar over the Agnipath scheme, Pradhan announced after the meeting, that Nitish will remain the chief minister of Bihar till 2025.
“There is no discord in the NDA. There are no problems between us and Nitish ji is our leader. We are serving the people of Bihar under his leadership," said Pradhan.
When asked whether Nitish Kumar will remain the CM till 2025, Pradhan quipped: "Of course, he will. There is no discord," adding: “Different parties in any coalition can have differences of opinion at times but we are together fulfilling the mandate given to us to serve the people under the leadership of CM Nitish.”
It was for the second time in nearly two months that Pradhan flew down from New Delhi to meet Nitish. The last meeting between the two leaders was held on May 5.
Sources claimed that no state BJP leader was present in both the meetings, though the union minister was welcomed at Patna airport on Tuesday by senior Bihar BJP functionaries, including state president Dr Sanjay Jaiswal and health minister Mangal Pandey among others.
The rumours regarding rift between JD (U) and BJP have grown stronger after the recent spat between senior functionaries of the two parties over Centre’s short- term armed forces recruitment scheme, christened "Agnipath".
After offices of BJP and houses of party functionaries, including Dr Jaiswal was attacked during the recent violent protests against the Agnipath scheme, Jaiswal had accused the police was not acting promptly and the saffron party was deliberately targeted.
It led to sharp reactions from JD (U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh and party’s parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha among others.
But BJP leaders claimed that Tuesday’s meeting was regarding the presidential elections and coordination between the two parties was the main agenda in the meeting between Pradhan and Nitish.
"Though JD(U) has already announced support to NDA’s presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu, a formal request was made in person during the meeting. Besides, issues related to common party coordination and government were discussed between the two leaders," a senior BJP functionary told TOI under conditions of anonymity.
A former Bihar BJP in-charge, Pradhan, also hinted that those discussions with the CM centred around the ensuing presidential polls.
"We have fielded a tribal lady, who has a distinguished track record as a former minister in Odisha and as Jharkhand governor. We are glad that the entire NDA stood united when she filed her nomination papers. She will also tour Bihar shortly to garner support," Pradhan added.
