Amit Shah Confirms Nitish Kumar Will Remain Bihar Chief Minister If NDA Wins

The Mahagathbandhan stole a march over the NDA again yesterday, bringing out its manifesto.

New Delhi:

Jeers from the Grand Alliance flying left and right over "un-named" Chief Ministerial candidate of the NDA, Union Home Minister and the BJP's chief strategist Amit Shah cleared the air today, confirming that Nitish Kumar will continue to occupy Bihar's top post if the ruling alliance retains power.

"Bihar mein na CM ka pad khali hain a Delhi mein PM ka pad khali hai... yahan Nitish Kumar hain, aur Lalu ji, Sonia ji, wahan PM Modi hain (neither the Chief Minister post in Bihar nor the Prime Minister's seat in Delhi is vacant. Nitish Kumar is here and Lalu ji, Sonia ji, PM Modi there)," Shah stated at a public meeting in Bihar today.

Then came a jibe at the top leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. "Aapka number nahin lagega (Lalu, Sonia You won't get a chance)," he further remarked.

The Grand Alliance had smarted for long under BJP jibes over its delayed progress in terms of campaigning, seat sharing talks and the absence of Congress's Rahul Gandhi from Ground Zero.

However, the opposition bloc had also achieved sweet revenge when it announced its Chief Ministerial candidate earlier this week, mocking the NDA, which was yet to make such an announcement.

The Mahagathbandhan gained another advantage over the NDA yesterday by releasing its manifesto first.

The matter of the NDA's Chief Ministerial candidate had remained largely speculative, with many analysts expecting the ruling alliance to select a fresh face for the position.

Mr. Kumar had initially taken the top job in Bihar in 2005. He has held the post continuously since then, except for a brief period when he stepped down in favor of Jitin Ram Manjhi.