Nitish Kumar denies harbouring any prime ministerial ambitions
Aug 24, 2022
Patna (Bihar) [India], August 24 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday hit out at its previous ally BJP over their speculations of him having prime ministerial ambitions and said that he does not want to become "anything".
The remarks of the Chief Minister came while addressing the two-day special Assembly session.
"Those who say that I have pulled out of the alliance because I want to become something, I don't want to become anything," Kumar said.
The Chief Minister also took a swipe at his former party member RCP Singh who recently resigned from the JD(U) and said that he helped Singh to rise from the ground to the top position in the party.
"I was not ready (to become CM) in the 2020 elections. I had said that you (BJP) have won more seats, CM should be from your party. A lot of pressure was put upon me to be the CM, I became ready in the end. But the person whom I raised from the ground to the top in my party. I was the national president of the party, but I appointed him to that post. My party members used to tell me that something wrong is taking place. But I did not listen," he said.
Kumar further alleged that the Centre has control over the press and social media.
"In 2017, when I demanded central status for Patna University, no one paid attention to it. Now you (Central govt) will do the same to advertise your work. They have control over social media & Press. Everyone is discussing only Centre's work," he said.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janta Party's Vijay Kumar Sinha today resigned as the Speaker of the Bihar Assembly ahead of a floor test to prove the majority of the 'Mahagathbandhan' alliance government led by chief minister Nitish Kumar.
JD(U)'s Narendra Narayan Yadav, whose name was recommended by Sinha will chair the floor test now.
Sinha's resignation came after a no-confidence motion against him was moved by the MLAs of the ruling coalition.
Sinha had earlier said the notice for the motion, received at the Vidhan Sabha secretariat was unclear and did not follow the rules and regulations.
"I would like to tell you that your no-confidence motion is unclear. Eight of the nine letters, which were received were not as per rule," said Sinha.
