New Delhi, May 26: With Presidential Elections around the corner, leaders of the opposition are pushing hard to present their candidate. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday afternoon was invited to the Luncheon organised by Congress President Sonia Gandhi but he chose to skip the invitation by sending his regrets and will fly to Delhi on Saturday to have a lunch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting lunch in honour of visiting Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth in which he has also invited Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The turning down of lunch invitation of Sonia Gandhi by Nitish Kumar had raised several eyebrows. The lunch was organised on the day when Narendra Modi government completed its 3 years and was designed as a show of unity among leaders of the opposition. Nitish Kumar’s regret to Sonia Gandhi and yes to PM Modi has sparked a massive political buzz. It comes at a time when Congress is pitching hard to gather opposition parties on a common platform to test the ground for a possible alliance against the BJP for 2016 Lok Sabha election when PM Modi is looking for a second term.
While Nitish Kumar’s ally, Lalu Prasad Yadav marked his attendance at the strategic meeting, the JD(U) Chief chose to send senior leader Sharad Yadav in his place. Nitish Kumar tried to downplay today’s development and also advised media persons not to read too much into his acceptance on PM Modi’s lunch invite.
Nitish Kumar claims that he had spoken to Sonia Gandhi over the presidential polls and also had a telephonic conversation with prominent leaders of other parties. “The Prime Minister’s lunch is in honour of the Mauritius Prime Minister and I accepted the invitation as the chief minister of Bihar. The state of Bihar has sentimental links with Mauritius,” Nitish Kumar said to media.
Also, there are speculations that all is not well in Bihar’s ‘grand alliance’. The latest development comes at a time when Lalu Yadav and his family, including his two sons and elder daughter, are under attack for benami property by the Income Tax Department. Lalu Prasad Yadav had denied the charges levelled against him and his family members.
Eyebrows were raised when Nitish Kumar appreciated PM Modi’s move of demonetisation in November last year and in return PM Modi also praised Bihar Chief Minister’s move of the ban on alcohol in the state.
Nitish Kumar had not yet defended grand alliance partner Lalu Yadav on the charges of benami property deals against him. The JD(U) leaders, clarified that the lunch will be an “official meeting” and has nothing to do with politics.
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