With JD(U) looking set to walk out of the NDA, Shiv Sena on Thursday sounded a note of caution for Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying that the BJP was like “oxygen” to his government, which could land in the “ICU” in the event of a split.
“BJP is like oxygen to the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar as it is for Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab,” the Sena — BJP’s oldest ally — said in party mouthpiece Saamna. “When there is adequate oxygen supply to stay in power, why should anyone create problems for themselves and get admitted to the ICU. Be it Nitish Kumar or anybody else,” an editorial in the daily newspaper said. It also said that today’s politics was more about “pragmatism and practicality than idealism”. Underlining the importance of Hindu votes, the editorial said, “Give respect to earn respect. Just like Muslim votes, Hindu votes can also prove to be decisive and this has been illustrated by the Maharajganj Lok Sabha by-poll results.”
There were reports suggesting that BJP workers did not actively back JD(U) nominee in Maharajganj leading to his defeat despite a high-profile campaign launched by Mr Kumar for his confidante and Bihar’s human resource minister P.K. Sahi.