Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for backing NDA President nominee Ram Nath Kovind, calling his decision a 'historic mistake'.
Yadav's comments came in wake of 17 opposition parties led by Congress announced the candidature of Meira Kumar of the presidential elections.
After attending the meeting organised by opposition parties in Delhi, where the announcement was made, Yadav said, "Nitish had called me and told about his decision. I advised him not to do so, but I can't say what happened after that. Now everybody knows what he has done. He, himself, had pitched for opposition unity and backtracked."
This latest salvo from the RJD is set to widen the cracks within the ruling Mahagathbandhan in the state. Congress, which also part of the alliance in Bihar, denounced JD (U) for going with the BJP.
Back in Patna, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra asked Kumar to change his decision and said that Kovind had a RSS background.
"People of Bihar will never forget Nitish Kumar. Now, a daughter of Bihar with a Dalit background has been named the presidential candidate. Nitish should have waited and thought about it. He has done a big mistake and will pay price for that," he said.
Other RJD leaders have also ciriticised Nitish Kumar openly since Wednesday for supporting Kovind.
JD (U) did not participate in Thursday's opposition meeting held in Delhi. Yadav had made it clear that he would go with what the Congress-led opposition decided.
Senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh alleged that Kumar had taken the decision to demean the RJD. He also feared the ruling mahagathbandhan might not last long in Bihar.
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