Nitish Kumar Can Return To NDA 'Any Time', Says Union Minister Athawale; BJP Retorts

New Delhi: Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who snapped ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in August last year, can return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at any time. Speaking to the news agency PTI, Athawale, the Republican Party of India (A) president, said Kumar was part of the NDA earlier and despite the BJP getting more seats in the 2020 Bihar Assembly elections, he was made the chief minister.

"Nitish Kumar can come back to us anytime," Ramdas Athawale, whose RPI (A) is part of the ruling NDA, said.

Nitish snapped ties with the saffron party and walked out of the NDA in August 2022. He later formed a new government with the support of the 'Mahagathbandhan' (Grand Alliance). 

Athawale also said that the Janata Dal (United) supremo had reservations about the name of the Opposition's INDIA alliance and that there are divisions within the grouping on who will be its convener and the prime ministerial candidate. 

"I was in Patna yesterday and I was asked about the reported displeasure of Nitish Kumar who had left the Bengaluru meet of the opposition alliance early," Athawale said. 

"I said if he (Nitish Kumar) is not happy, he shouldn't go to Mumbai (for the next meeting of the INDIA alliance). He had been with the NDA earlier and can come back to us anytime," he added. 

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, known by its abbreviation 'INDIA', is an Opposition front announced by the leaders of 26 parties to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA. 

BJP's doors closed for Nitish Kumar: Sushil Modi 

BJP MP Sushil Modi on Sunday said that Union minister Ramdas Athawale's claim on Nitish Kumar's return to NDA is his personal opinion, but the saffron party has shut all its doors for the Bihar CM.

"Even if he wants to come, BJP is not ready. Ramdas Athawale is neither a BJP spokesperson nor an NDA spokespeson. He is the leader of a party and a Union Minister so this must be his personal opinion but BJP has shut all its doors," Sushil Modi, the former Bihar deputy chief minister, told the news agency ANI.

He also called Nitish a 'burden' and said that the capability of the Bihar CM to transfer votes has 'ended'.

"He has become a burden... I doubt RJD will be able to bear it for long. His capability to transfer votes has ended. In the last Vidhan Sabha election, it was seen that had Narendra Modi not come, he (Nitish Kumar) would not have won 44 seats. In politics, you are important if you have the power of votes. Otherwise, you hold no importance," he said.