'I Give No Importance': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Snubs Prashant Kishor. Poll Strategist Reacts

Prashant Kishor has asserted that Bihar today was the most backward and poor state in the country even after 30 years of rule under RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar.

New Delhi: A day after Prashant Kishor criticised his party's 15-year rule in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday asserted that he attached no importance to his administration's assessment by the election strategist.

When asked by reporters about Kishor's remarks in Patna, Nitish Kumar said, "I give no importance to whatever somebody says. It is for you journalists to decide whether or not my administration has been able to meet expectations."

Reacting to Kumar, Kishor said the important fact was that Bihar today was the most backward and poor state in the country even after 30 years of rule under RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar.

In a cryptic tweet, Kishor said, "A new thinking and effort is needed to change Bihar and this is possible only with the collective efforts of the people."

Kishor had said the same thing during his press conference on Thursday. "Bihar still ranks low on many parameters of development. If Bihar wants to come in the list of leading states in the future, it needs new thinking and new effort," Kishor had said.

READ | Prashant Kishor To Embark On 3,000 Km Bihar Padyatra, Says No Plans To Launch Party For Now

Kishor also played down rumours of alliances with Bihar's main parties. "I have no personal fight with Nitish Kumar. We have very good relations. But personal relations is one thing and working together and agreeing is different," he said.

Prashant Kishor had also handled Nistish Kumar's campaign for the 2015 assembly polls as JD(U) returned to power. Later, he was appointed as an advisor to the chief minister and given Cabinet-rank post.

The JD(U) chief parried questions when asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark that the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) would be implemented once the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

"This is a policy decision of the Centre which we will look into separately. As of now, our primary concern is Covid cases are again on the rise and protecting people against the fresh surge is our priority," said Kumar.

When asked about the power crisis that has gripped several parts of the country due to a decline in coal supplies, Kumar said, "We will make all possible efforts to alleviate the situation. This crisis is very widespread."