PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said he had no desire to become the CM and the BJP could make its own CM.
During the JD(U)'s national executive meeting, Kumar said that he is not attached to the position. "I had no desire to become the Chief Minister. I had said that the public had given its mandate and anyone can be made the Chief Minister, BJP could make its own Chief Minister," said Kumar.
The statement comes days after six of seven legislators of the JD(U) in Arunachal Pradesh defected to its NDA partner, BJP.
However, Kumar had earlier made it clear that the developments of Arunachal Pradesh will have no bearing on Bihar's politics as there is "no dispute" in its alliance government in Bihar.
Nitish had recently quit from the post of party chief and handed over JD(U) to party leader Ramchandra Prasad Singh.
Kumar is heading National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar having JD(U), BJP, Hindustani Awam Morcha, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) as its constituents.
The NDA had secured a 125-seat majority in the 243-seat Bihar Legislative Assembly in November. The BJP secured 74 seats, JD(U) 43 while eight seats were won by two other NDA constituents.
BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday said that Nitish Kumar did not want to become the CM but he accepted to become the CM on the request of JDU, BJP, and VIP leaders.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Sushil said, "He (Nitish Kumar) did not want to be the Chief Minister. BJP and JDU leaders told him that we fought the poll on his name and vision and said that people had voted for him. In the end, he accepted to become the CM on request of JDU, BJP, and VIP leaders."
"Leaders of JD (U) have said that whatever has happened in Arunachal Pradesh will not affect the alliance in Bihar and Bihar government. BJP-JD(U) alliance in Bihar is unbreakable. The government will work for five years under the guidance of Nitish Kumar," he added.
His statement comes a day after incumbent Bihar Chief Minister said he had no desire to become the CM and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could make its own Chief Minister.