The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government conducted a caste survey last year, the decision for which was taken by the 2022 NDA government in the state
Day after Rahul Gandhi hit out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his recent switch from INDIA bloc to NDA and reaffirmed push for a caste census , the latter clapped back saying the Congress leader was taking credit for something that was done by someone else.
Nitish Kumar also said that the his proposal for a name for the opposition alliance was turned down and that the INDIA bloc clueless on seat-sharing till date, adding that this. "This is why I left them and came back to who I was with initially," Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said.
The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government conducted a caste survey last year, the decision for which was taken by the 2022 NDA government in the state that was also headed by Kumar.
The JD(U) president later dumped the BJP and formed the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government with RJD, Congress and others. Nitish Kumar is now back in the NDA and took oath as the chief minister for a record ninth term on Sunday, January 28.
"Rahul Gandhi is taking credit for the caste census in Bihar... Has he forgotten when the caste census happened? I conducted it in the presence of nine parties. In 2019-2020, I would talk about conducting caste census everywhere, from assembly to public meetings... He is taking fake credit, what can I do? Let it be," Nitish Kumar said.
"I was urging them to choose another name for the alliance. But they had already finalised it. I was trying so hard. They did not do even one thing. Till today they haven't decided which party will contest how many seats. This is why I left them and came back to who I was with initially. I will keep working for the people of Bihar," Nitish Kumar added.
Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi, whose 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' is currently in its Bihar leg, slammed chief minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday over his recent turnaround that led to a Janata Dal-United (JDU) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government in the state, removing the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress from power.
Hitting out at Nitish Kumar over the same, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the Bihar chief minister makes a u-turn whenever a little pressure is exerted.
Gandhi also said Dalits and backward classes don't get due representation in all sectors of the country.
“Our country needs a caste-based census to determine the exact population of Dalits, OBCs, tribals and others,” the Congress MP told the rally at Ranghbhumi Maidan.
(with PTI inputs)