Expert in betraying: Jairam Ramesh on Nitish Kumar

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday criticised Nitish Kumar’s latest volte-face, branding him as an “expert in betraying”, and emphasised the irony of his decision to join the BJP-led NDA camp after being instrumental in conceptualising the opposition bloc INDIA.

Kumar on Sunday resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, saying “things were not working well” for him in the Mahagathbandhan he had joined less than 18 months ago and the opposition bloc INDIA.

Ramesh remarked that Kumar’s tendency to change political colours rivals that of chameleons and suggested that the political upheaval in Bihar is a tactic to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, scheduled to enter Bihar on Monday.

“The resignation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not at all surprising because he has been changing political colours from time to time. And in changing colours, he is giving tough competition to the chameleons. The people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to him and also to those people in Delhi who are behind it,” he said at a press conference.

Ramesh said it is clear that a “political drama” is being created by the BJP to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. “I had worked with him from close quarters when I was a minister. He is an expert in betraying,” he said.

Ramesh dismissed claims that Kumar's exit would weaken the opposition bloc INDIA, asserting that the bloc would only be strengthened, as affirmed by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.

“It will have no impact except headlines for a few days. The future of our country, India, is at stake if the BJP continues. But the future of the opposition bloc, INDIA, is not at stake,” he said.

Highlighting Kumar’s previous involvement in the opposition bloc INDIA, Ramesh recalled the meeting of 18 opposition parties convened by Kumar on June 23 of the previous year.

“The journey of the INDIA bloc started from Patna on June 23 and the person who was instrumental in starting this journey has betrayed it. We don’t know what his political compulsions were, but the people of Bihar will give him and the BJP a befitting reply,” he said.

This marks the second instance of Kumar's political volte-face in less than 18 months, following his departure from the BJP and subsequent alliance with the RJD-Congress combine. (PTI)