Not my 'last election', Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says remarks misinterpreted

Nitish Kumar on Thursday said his remark about 'last election' was misinterpreted and added that it was not his last election. In an election rally in Damdaha in Purnia, he had said "Yeh mera antim chunav hai. Ant bhala, toh sab bhala (This is my last election. All is well that ends well)."

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said his recent remarks were misinterpreted and that this year's election is not his last. He also said that he will continue working with the same dedication if he required to work in the future.

"I did not talk about retirement. In the last meeting, I always say the same thing at the last rally in every election that 'ant bhala to sab bhala' (all is well that ends well). If you listen to speech back and forth, everything will be clear," the chief minister said.

The Janata Dal (U) president was interacting with journalists here for the first time after results for the results were declared of the assembly elections, in which NDA got a clear majority.

His party the JD(U) won 43 seats, while the BJP won 71. In a rally at Damdaha in Purnia, as campaigning for the third and last phase of the poll Nitish said, "Yeh mera antim chunav hai. Ant bhala, toh sab bhala. (This is my last election. All is well that ends well)". On being asked who will be the next chief minister, Kumar replied, "I have made no claim, the decision will be taken by NDA.

The decision on the date of swearing-in after an informal meeting with NDA partners tomorrow. "On Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which has been blamed for the JDU's low tally in the elections and has been accused of "cutting votes" against JDU party and damaging its prospects, Nitish said, "If some action is to be taken (against LJP), the BJP has to take it. It's for the BJP to decide whether or not the LJP should be retained in the NDA."

Quashing reports that he may be sworn in next week, Kumar said, "It is not decided yet when the oath-taking ceremony will take place, whether after Diwali or Chhath Puja. We are analysing the results of this election. The members of all four parties in NDA will meet tomorrow."

Addressing a press conference after meeting newly-elected MLAs of the JD(U) on Thursday, Nitish Kumar said that the NDA will be forming the new government in Bihar as people have given it the mandate. The alliance partners are set to meet on Friday.

(ANI)