Patna: Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the BJP considers its alliance partners as a sign of strength ('mazbooti') and not as a compulsion ('majboori'), pointing out the party had taken along all allies when forming the government in 2014, despite having majority.
"The same will be seen this time. We view Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) as a natural ally. He deserves as much credit for the state's progress as the cooperation of the Centre," said Singh, who is a former BJP president, at a rally in Purnea Lok Sabha seat with Kumar sitting beside him.
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The union home minister had last week held two rallies in the state for Lok Janshakti Party's Chirag Paswan in Jamui and the party's candidate in Nawada. In Purnea, he canvassed for JD(U) MP Santosh Kumar who is pitted against Uday Singh of the Congress.
Singh also addressed rallies in Banka and Madhepura Lok Sabha seats, both of which are being contested by Nitish Kumar's party, before going to Araria where he canvassed in support of former BJP MP Pradeep Singh.