'Will Not Go Back To Them Till I Am Alive': Nitish Kumar Hits Out At BJP Over Cases Against Lalu

In August, Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years before joining hands with the 'Mahagathbandhan'.

Months after severing ties with the BJP and forming the government with the RJD, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday declared that he would never realign with the saffron party till he was alive, PTI reported. Addressing an event in Samastipur, Kumar accused the BJP of using investigating agencies to target political opponents like RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav.

"They lodged a case against Lalu ji, which caused me to sever my ties with him. Nothing came of it. And now when we are together again, they are lodging fresh cases. You can figure out the style of functioning of these people," PTI quoted Kumar as saying. Kumar also inaugurated a government engineering college.

Nitish Kumar's remarks come days after the CBI filed a chargesheet before a special court against Lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi and 14 others in the land-for-jobs scam. Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti was also named as accused in the chargesheet.

According to the CBI, Lalu Prasad Yadav, the patriarch of the RJD, his wife Rabri along with his daughters Misa Yadav and Hema Yadav were given land plots as bribes from some people who were recruited in the Railways.

In August, Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years before joining hands with the 'Mahagathbandhan', which constitutes of the RJD, Congress and Left parties.

Without taking names, the Bihar CM also said the current BJP leadership was arrogant as he recalled the era of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.

"So different were the leaders of the same party of the past like former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in whose cabinet I had the privilege to work, and LK Advani who was then the Deputy PM. I have fond memories of Murli Manohar Joshi too who honored my request to upgrade my alma mater, the Bihar Engineering College, as a National Institute of Technology," PTI quoted Kumar as saying.

"In contrast, those currently at the helm of affairs listen to nobody, and have scant respect for any person and his or her concerns. I want to assert that I will not go back to them till I am alive," the JD(U) leader further said.

On the 'Mahagathbandhan' government, which includes RJD, Congress and three Left parties, Kumar said, "We will remain together and work for the progress of the nation".

(With PTI inputs)