Nitish Has Lost Credibility, Says NCP Leader Tariq Anwar

Patna: Senior NCP leader and former Union minister Tariq Anwar on Sunday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had lost his "credibility" in politics by once again aligning with the BJP.

Neither any political party nor any leader would trust Kumar any longer, he added.

"The way he (Kumar) has taken a U-turn by severing his ties with the Grand Alliance and subsequently aligning with the NDA, neither any political party nor any leader would trust him anymore," Anwar told reporters at the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) office here.

Everyone would now try to "use" him to the extent possible, he said, adding that he did not see Kumar's political future as very bright.

Anwar described Kumar's decision to ask Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to give an explanation to the public on the CBI charges against him as "nothing but an excuse to return to the NDA-fold".

On how long the JD(U)-BJP alliance would run, given the record of Kumar snapping ties with the BJP and again holding its hands, Anwar said even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would not trust him.

To a query on Kumar's chances of finding a place in the opposition camp, in case he was dumped by the NDA, he said, "I don't think Nitish Kumar can make a comeback into the opposition-fold. The opposition will not trust him."

The Katihar MP said Kumar had "adversely affected" the possibility of an opposition unity at a time when the opposition parties were rallying against the communal forces in the country.

"It is good that the people got to know the real face of Nitish Kumar much before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls," he said, adding that had the JD(U) leader decided to switch sides in the last minute, it would have been a more difficult situation for the opposition.

The opposition parties would unite once again, said Anwar, adding that he met RJD chief Lalu Prasad and discussed the future course of politics with him.

"Lalu Prasad has invited me to take part in the August 27 RJD rally in Patna. I would like all the top opposition leaders in the country to participate in it," said Anwar.