This Article is From May 08, 2009

Cong moves to quell allies' ire, says won't make Nitish a hero

Cong moves to quell allies' ire, says won't make Nitish a hero

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New Delhi:

Under attack from allies LJP and RJD over Rahul Gandhi's overtures to the Bihar Chief
Minister, Congress on Friday sought to mollify them saying it is not going "to make a hero" of Nitish Kumar.

"I do not think Congress is going to make a hero of Nitish Kumar. The manner in which he has aligned with the BJP and is carrying on - that is kind of a pollution of his secular credentials with the communal," AICC media department in-charge M Veerappa Moily said.

"We are not reaching to Nitish Kumar. Nitish will regret if he stays with the NDA. Nitish thinks too much of himself," he said, adding, "We are unhappy the way Nitish handled Bihar floods."

His comments came in the wake of reports that Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan were skipping Friday's Cabinet meeting in disapproval of Congress' overtures to "rivals" like Kumar.

He accused the Bihar Chief Minister of following a mixed communal and secular agenda.

"What he (Kumar) is doing is a mix of communal agenda and also the secular agenda. We are not happy with (with this)," he added.

Moily also alleged that for Kumar retaining the Chief Ministership was more important than ideology and maintained that Congress was aware of Kumar's limitations.

"We know his limitations. He is with JD-U. Sooner he joins hands with us, he will collapse. He knows it. To him retaining Chief Ministership is more important than ideology. He is prepared to join with the communal forces like BJP to continue to be the Chief Minister," he said. (With NDTV inputs)

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