'We are always ready for elections': Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Nitish spoke in response to Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah’s remarks on Saturday at an event in Bihar that Lok Sabha elections in the country could be pre-scheduled.

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday raised the political temperature in the state by asserting that he was ready for an early election if the BJP-led government at the centre decided to do so.

Responding to queries of media persons on the sidelines of a function in the state capital Nitish said that he was always ready for the election and maintained that it would be good for them if the Centre decided so.

“Humlog har samay taiyyar hain (we are always ready) and let them do so,” Nitish said, apparently in response to union home minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah’s remarks on Saturday at an event in Bihar that Lok Sabha elections in the country could be pre-scheduled.

Nitish said, “The Centre wants to hold elections in the entire country much before its schedule. We are also waiting for them and ready for the polls. It is better if elections are held as early as possible as everything will be known. We are always ready for the elections”

“Lok Sabha elections can be held before the scheduled time. The Centre has the right to do so,” he said, adding that he had been saying for long that Centre was planning to hold early elections in the country.

On the 5-day special session of the Parliament which commenced on Monday, CM said that it would have to be seen what was special in this special session and what the bill the Centre was introducing in the house and what would be its outcome.

On BJP’s claim that it did not consider the opposition alliance, ‘INDIA’, a challenge, Nitish said, “We are servants of the people. We do not give challenges to anybody. We present all issues before them and people will make a decision on those who do not do good work.”

On the Centre bringing a bill on the appointment of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners, CM said that once all facts were known, everybody would speak on the matter in the House. It will be early to make any comment on it at this stage, he added.

In response to a query, JD(U) supremo said, “We all are united and intact. We have done a lot of development work in Bihar. From constructing roads, bridges, electricity and drinking water facilities to several other infrastructural projects. We have done a lot of work in the state. The electorate will make a final decision.”

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, who was also present on the occasion, said that the INDIA alliance will fight unitedly to dethrone NDA at the centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He said that the change of government at the centre made journalists free from all kinds of undue ‘pressure’ on them.

‘We are always ready for elections’: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar