Patna, Nov 1 (IANS) Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary on Saturday dismissed speculation about him replacing Nitish Kumar as the state’s Chief Minister, firmly stating that “there is no vacancy” for the post and reiterating his party’s continuing support for the latter’s leadership in the state.

Speaking at the NDTV Bihar Power Play event here, in conversation with journalists Sumit Awasthi, Akhilesh Sharma, and Prabhakar Kumar, Choudhary emphasised that Nitish Kumar’s tenure has brought a new phase of development to Bihar.

Responding to questions about his potential elevation to the top post, Choudhary said: “There is no vacancy for Chief Minister in Bihar. The state has seen a long, turbulent chapter in its political history. After Bihar’s first Chief Minister, Sri Krishna Sinha, many leaders held the position, but none could complete a full term. Nitish Kumar changed that narrative. Since 2005, Bihar has seen real progress — from school uniforms and bicycles for students to a tenfold increase in the number of high schools, from 2,000 to 10,000.”

Asked whether it was time for the BJP to assert itself more strongly in Bihar, he said: “We are the makers.”

He reminded the audience that the BJP has historically played a crucial role in shaping Bihar’s political landscape.

“In 1990, Lalu Prasad Yadav became Chief Minister for the first time with the BJP’s support. But when he disrespected Bihar, we withdrew our backing. In 2000, Nitish Kumar’s JD-U had 34 MLAs while the BJP had 70, yet we supported him for the Chief Minister’s post in the state’s interest. Even in 2020, when Nitish Kumar was reluctant, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who persuaded him to take charge,” he said.

“As long as Nitish Kumar is with us, he remains the Chief Minister — there’s no ambiguity about that.”

Responding to the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s criticism of the government’s plan to distribute Rs 10,000 to around 1.5 crore women, Choudhary accused the RJD of being “anti-women”.

“It’s in their DNA. Lalu Yadav was behind the tearing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament. Under PM Modi’s leadership, that Bill was finally passed. Nitish Kumar, on his part, gave 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayati raj institutions. The people of Bihar know who truly supports women’s empowerment,” he said.

Asked about Nitish Kumar’s health, Choudhary took a swipe at RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, saying: “It rained yesterday. A 36-year-old leader was resting at home, while a 75-year-old was addressing public rallies. That shows who’s more committed.”

Dismissing Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor’s allegations against him, Choudhary called them baseless and politically motivated.

“Many newcomers will enter politics. I don’t give them much importance. I’ve been working for 30 years; some have been around for just two,” he said, recalling the “political vendetta” he faced during Lalu Prasad’s tenure.

Commenting on his father, veteran leader Shakuni Choudhary’s past association with the RJD, he said: “Politics has its own timing. Even Nitish Kumar and Laluji have worked together, as have the BJP and Laluji. The Congress once jailed Laluji, yet he now works with them. This is the nature of politics.”

The Bihar Assembly elections will take place in two phases on November 6 and 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14. The Election Commission has declared the poll schedule for the 243-member Assembly, and the Model Code of Conduct has come into force across the state. Polling will cover 121 constituencies in the first phase and 122 in the second.

–IANS

jk/vd