PATNA: BJP’s in-charge for the Bihar Assembly elections, Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday debunked the speculation over Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s role in the event of the NDA returning to power. “Nitish Ji is like the head of our family, and nobody should have any doubt over who our CM face is,” Pradhan told TMS in an exclusive interview in Patna.
Pradhan asserted: “JD(U) is our oldest, trusted, and tested ally. We are working in complete coordination both at the Centre and in the state.”
The minister said that Nitish Kumar had repeatedly acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “generosity and concern for the speedy development of Bihar.” He made it clear that the BJP had no hesitation in backing Nitish as Chief Minister again, irrespective of seat numbers. “Even when JD(U) had fewer seats and Nitish Ji himself was reluctant, he was sworn in as Chief Minister. This time too, the same understanding will continue,” he said.
The Union Minister expressed confidence that the NDA would return to power with a full majority. He said the ruling alliance enjoyed support from all social groups — upper castes, OBCs, EBCs, and Dalits — and that the government was seeking votes based on its performance. “The double-engine government has fulfilled the promises made earlier, but we know we have miles to go for Bihar’s growth,” he said.
He stressed that the people of Bihar had immense faith in both Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Modi, describing both leaders as having “a clean image.” Pradhan said voters would not allow “jungle raj” to return, recalling the difficult years under the Lalu-Rabri regime.
Attacking the opposition, Pradhan said leaders of the INDIA bloc, including those from the Congress and RJD, were facing corruption charges. “The main battle will be between the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. Fringe players will fail to make any impact,” he said.
Referring to the opposition charge that the government transferred `10,000 to women’s accounts ahead of the elections, he said the claim was “baseless.” The NDA has been taking steps for women’s empowerment for the last two decades, he said, adding, “This is not about elections, it’s about consistent governance.”
Looking ahead, Pradhan said the NDA’s focus after returning to power would be on attracting investment and creating opportunities for youth through skill development. He said education would remain a top priority. “We can make India a developed country by 2047 only if we invest in education. We have already given Bihar two central universities and 19 KendriyaVidyalayas. Bihar is now a priority state for NDA,” he said.
Nitish is BJP’s trusted and tested ally: Pradhan
“JD(U) is our oldest, most trusted and tested ally, and we are working in tandem both at the Centre and in the state. Irrespective our seat tally in the election results, Nitish ji will be the chief minister,” Dharmendra Pradhan said. He expressed confidence that the NDA would return to power with full majority.