Nitish Kumar had met Om Prakash Chautala recently. (File)
Patna:
When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend an event organized by former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala to commemorate the birth centenary of his father Chaudhary Devi Lal later this month, his absent note read one thing but the real reason. Could be something else.
Janata Dal-United (JDU) leaders will not attend the event, it was announced by the party’s national president Lalan Singh in Patna on Saturday, amid concerns about a possible third wave of COVID-19 in the state, flood situation and An outbreak of viral fever was cited. .
However, the real reason, as confirmed by his party members, is that he does not want to share the stage with many anti-BJP leaders at this time because the celebrations to be held in Jind, Haryana on September 25 are seen as a coming together. being promoted. Army of the Third Front.
Sources said Mr Kumar does not want to trouble the BJP any more, especially after publicly demanding a probe into the Pegasus snooping scam and shaming him for leading a delegation demanding a caste census.
Earlier this week, media reports quoted Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Chautala, who is organizing the rally in Jind, as saying Mr Kumar “confirmed” his presence.
Had Mr. Kumar attended the event, the BJP allies would have found themselves alongside figures such as Deve Gowda, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Parkash Singh Badal – all staunch opponents of the ruling party at the Centre.
The planned function is to be organized on the occasion of birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal, whom Mr. Kumar has always respected as his senior in the then Janata Dal.
During one of his recent visits to the national capital, Mr Kumar had also met Om Prakash Chautala, though the Bihar chief minister brushed aside questions, insisting that he had met his former Haryana counterpart. shared “personal relationships” with.
Mr Chautala and his INLD are opponents of the ruling BJP in Haryana, although the Jannayak Janata Party – a party formed by his nephew Dushyant – is an ally of the party.
The proposed rally in Jind, for which invitations have also been sent to regional stalwarts such as Mamata Banerjee and Sharad Pawar, is being billed as another precursor to the formation of a “third front” ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
.