PATNA : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was being projected as a ‘kingmaker’ after the BJP could not cross the halfway mark in the just concluded Lok Sabha election, surprised all those present in the Parliament’s Central Hall on Friday when he tried to touch Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi’s feet.
In a video that has gone viral on social media, Nitish can be seen walking towards Modi with folded hands and bowing to touch his feet. Modi, however, quickly stopped him from doing so and the two leaders proceeded to shake hands with each other.
This was not the first time the JD(U) president had done so. He had briefly touched the feet of Modi at an election rally in Nawada in April this year.
All NDA leaders assembled at the Central Hall on Friday unanimously passed a resolution, electing Modi as their leader.
Hours before Nitish tried to touch the feet of Modi, with whom he had an on-and-off relationship, a supporter erected a poster near Kotwali police station in Patna, with photographs of Nitish and two tigers printed on it.
Earlier in January this year, senior JD(U) leader and minister Ashok Choudhary had remarked, ‘Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai’ when Nitish was under attack from various quarters. At the time, Nitish was with the RJD-led grand alliance.
A senior JD(U) leader on Friday refused to comment on Nitish touching Modi’s feet, but RJD criticised the act. “It is surprising that Nitish stoops so low in his lust for power. It is the height of decadence. People of Bihar have not liked the scene. Nitish is a senior leader, and it cannot be approved by any yardstick,” RJD leader Mrityunjay Tiwari said.