PATNA: Amid reports of differences between RJD and JD(U), Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday had an unscheduled meeting with the governor. The meeting came as uncertainty loomed over the proposed joint rally of the JD(U) chief and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in the state.
The meeting between governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Nitish lasted nearly 40 minutes. Nitish was accompanied by senior JD (U) leader and state finance minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Nitish left for his official residence without taking media queries.
Sources said Nitish discussed with the governor issues like the appointments of new vice-chancellors and also the assembly budget session, beginning February 5.
Nitish also reportedly inquired about the governor’s availability following an impending cabinet expansion expected ahead of the assembly’s budget session. Last week, Nitish shuffled the departments of two RJD ministers, including education minister Prof Chandrashekhar and gave additional charge to another minister.
Senior JD(U) leader and state social welfare minister Madan Sahni said the Nitish-governor meeting was a routine matter. “All is well in the grand alliance, and it will not be proper to attach any political meaning to the meeting,” he remarked.
JD (U)’s political advisor and spokesperson KC Tyagi said his party had received invitation from Congress to take part in Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. He said Nitish too had to decide whether he would address the joint rally with Rahul.
“It would have been better had the yatra been taken out under the banner of the INDIA bloc,” he said. “Congress has been somewhat slack in leading the alliance,” he added.
Governor appoints six V-Cs of Bihar universities
Bihar governor on Tuesday appointed vice-chancellor of six out of seven universities of the state after consultating chief minister Nitish Kumar. The appointment of vice-chancellor was pending for a long time due to differences between Rajbhawan and state government.