'Proposal' to name Nitish as INDIA bloc convener was discussed, says close aide

Patna, Jan 13 (PTI) A close aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday confirmed that a "proposal" to make the JD(U) president convener of the INDIA bloc came up at the meeting of coalition leaders through virtual mode.

JD(U) national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha, however, said Kumar had "so far not given approval" to the offer which will be deliberated upon within the party even as he claimed that the Bihar CM was in favour of a Congress leader becoming the chairperson.

"Yes, there was a proposal (prastaav aaya tha)", said Jha, who has been accompanying Kumar to all meetings of the alliance, when journalists approached him with queries outside the chief minister's residence.

"The CM has so far not given his approval to the proposal", he said, adding "we will let you know after discussing the matter within the party".

The JD(U) leader dismissed suggestions that Kumar was upset over the in-principle decision to make Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge the chairperson of the recently formed alliance.

"On the contrary, it was our honourable CM himself who had suggested that someone from the Congress head the coalition", claimed Jha.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad scoffed at the turn of events in the INDIA bloc which was formed last year following Nitish Kumar's efforts to bring together parties opposed to the ruling NDA at the Centre.

"Nitish babu reminds me of the Urdu verse bade beabru hokar tere kuche se ham nikle (it was in utter disgrace that I was made to exit your place)", said Prasad, who is also the MP from Patna Sahib.

He also remarked, "Let an SIT be formed to investigate who gave assent, who refused and who quarreled (kisne inkar kiya, kine ikrar kiya, kisne takrar kiya) at the meeting. Even by a long shot, they have no chance of forming the next government. But look at the huge conflict of interest". PTI