Raut Claims Nitish Was Not Made INDIA Bloc Convenor Because Of His Secret Deal With BJP

Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Monday claimed that the Congress party wanted to make Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar the convenor of the INDIA bloc, but it did not happen because Nitish was simultaneously trying to broker a “secrete deal” with the BJP. Calling the Bihar CM ‘Paltu Ram’, Mr. Raut said that he should join a circus and make the BJP his ringmaster.

Denying that the Congress played any role in Nitish’s decision to leave the INDIA bloc and return to the NDA, Mr Raut said, “In fact, the Congress was in favour of appointing Nitish as the convenor of the INDIA bloc. The Congress had discussions about that with us. But at the same time there was information that Nitish was having some secret deal with the BJP. In politics, everyone keeps information on everyone,” Mr Raut said.

Earlier, NCP leader Sharad Pawar had also claimed that Nitish’s name was suggested for the post of convenor during a virtual meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, but the Bihar CM was of the view that a team of party chiefs should be formed and that there is no need to appoint a convenor.

Interestingly, Mr Raut on Sunday had denied that Nitish’s name was ever discussed for any position in the INDIA bloc, which is contradictory to his latest stand.

Nitish Kumar resigned as the Bihar CM on Sunday and dissolved his government formed with the support of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. The same day, he was again sworn in as the chief minister and formed a new government with the BJP’s support.

Mr. Raut said the way Kumar left the INDIA bloc is unfortunate. “But his exit will not affect the INDIA bloc. In fact, it will become stronger after Nitish’s exit. There is Tejashwi Yadav, the Congress and some other parties in Bihar and they will make the INDIA bloc stronger,” he said.

Terming it the BJP’s ploy to finish Nitish Kumar and his party, the Shiv Sena UBT leader said, “BJP wants to finish Bihar’s identity, but Nitish does not mean Bihar. In Maharashtra, they experimented with Eknath Shinde, but Mr. Shinde or Ajit Pawar does not mean Maharashtra,” he said.