Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday stated that growing corruption was paving way for a shift towards anti-Congressism in national politics. He, however, declined to say if he would lead an alternative government when the time comes, saying, “It depends on situation and it is the political system which creates leaders.”
The Bihar chief minister said that corruption and rising prices are also related with the issue of internal security. “If the common man is angry, it could lead to problems like Naxalism,” said Mr Kumar.
Showing no dilution in the demand for a JPC inquiry in the alleged 2G spectrum scam, Mr Kumar said there is no other way out but to accept the demand of the JPC probe by the government. “I cannot understand reason for not accepting the demand for a JPC probe. There are larger dimensions in the 2G spectrum scam which only a JPC can look into and the whole political class will benefit out of it,” stated Mr Kumar during a question-answer session with journalists at the Press Club in the capital.
However, Mr Kumar refused to be drawn in a comparison with his Gujarat counterpart, who fetched massive investment commitment in the recently held “Vibrant Gujarat”. “Every state is different,” he said.
Bihar is not on the seashore, neither the state has surplus land. Such conferences may not necessarily materialise in actual investment,” Mr Kumar said, adding that Bihar presents investment opportunity in food processing and in the fields of agriculture but the Central government policy is not helping the state. Mr Kumar laughed away when asked what transpired between his meeting with Mr Modi on Tuesday in the capital.
He also did not buy the argument that the BJP benefited the most in the Bihar elections due to the “Nitish wave”. “It was Bihar wave. The people voted for the identity of Bihar, which subsumed all identities like that of caste and community,” added Mr Kumar, who also maintained that his opposition to the Ekta Yatra of the BJP to Srinagar was a well-thought one given the sensitivity involved. Mr Kumar, however, maintained that differences of opinions exist between his party and the BJP on certain issues, though “there is no discomfort in ties with the BJP”.
Mr Kumar also stated that he is demanding separate booths and separate EVMs for women voters from the Election Commission.