Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the opposition BJP for questioning the government’s decision to extend leave of absence to election strategist Prashant Kishor, who was earlier appointed an adviser to the CM in January and also awarded with the rank of a Cabinet minister.
"I know a lot of people have no work except kite-flying but we know he's pre occupied with his political engagement in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab and this has been mutually decided that he will focus on this twin task for the next eight months," Kumar said.
The Chief Minister also noted that Kishor is crucial not just in designing new development schemes for Bihar, but "an integral part of me".
Kishor is now days occupied in designing per-election assignments and strategies for the Congress party in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
Soon after the victory in last year’s assembly polls in Bihar, Kumar had handed over to Kishor a Cabinet rank and the ‘Bihar Vikas Mission’ project.
While the Cabinet rank was Kumar’s idea, the mission idea was coined by Kishor. However, Kishor could not give much time to the mission because of his new assignments in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Kishor neither attended any meetings nor advised anything substantial to Kumar on the mission.
Kumar’s remark came in the wake of senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi’s comment that ‘Kumar was trying to eat into BJP's votes in the poll-bound states at the behest of Congress’.
“Kumar's gameplan in Uttar Pradesh stands exposed as poll strategist Prashant Kishor happens to advise both the Chief Minister and the Congress. He is working at the behest of the Congress by frequently visiting Uttar Pradesh in order to create a division of Kurmi votes which traditionally goes to BJP," he had said.
After scripting the historic victory of Narendra Modi-led BJP in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Kishor fell out with the saffron party because he was denied a major role in government that was promised to him.
After this, Kumar roped in Kishor who delivered a spectacular victory for Janata Dal (United)-led alliance in Bihar Assembly elections in November 2015.
The resounding victory in Bihar forced the Congress to change its perception of Kishor which believed that his role in 2014 victory of PM Modi had been hugely exaggerated.
