Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday described Janata Dal(U)leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a secular leader.
In a sign of things to come, Manmohan also said that there were no permanent enemies and permanent friends in politics, thereby indicating a possible tie up with the JD(U). To a query on whether the Congress would seek the JD(U) support, the PM said, “I cannot speculate on that or what happens in the future. We need support of all right-minded parties. In Parliament, we look for their support.”
However, the BJP reacted sharply to Manmohan’s remarks on Nitish saying “for the Congress, a leader becomes secular or communal overnight.” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “I think, the Congress should open a centre for handing out certificates of secularism to leaders.”