Patna:
Amid the fervour surrounding the legislative council elections in Bihar, Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor has heaped huge praises on former chief minister Nitish Kumar. While campaigning in Vaishali, Kishor said Kumar is one of the most sensible leaders in Bihar - someone who genuinely cares for society - and that he would certainly rank among the top 10 leaders in the state's history.
He said that during periods when Kumar was unwell and others were effectively running the government in his name, many irregularities occurred - actions he had opposed. However, when Kumar was physically fit, he made sincere efforts to improve Bihar, the Jan Suraaj chief said.
Kishor also defended Kumar on the controversy sparked by Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) MLA Anant Singh's alleged comments about nine murders in the state. Following the misinterpretation of Anant Singh's statement, questions were being raised about Kumar as well.
"Nitish Kumar is a sensible leader," Kishor added.
Kishor has long been a close associate of Kumar, from crafting the campaign for the then Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in the 2015 election to serving as the national vice president of the JD(U), he was a trusted confidant of Nitish.
It is believed that through this statement, Kishor aims to reach out to voters in the Patna Graduates constituency - a group that has consistently supported Kumar over the years.
Kishor also clarified a viral, incomplete clip concerning Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, a matter over which the BJP had attacked him.
"If we were to follow the logic that anyone accused of a crime - as determined at a police station - should simply be shot, then by that same standard, Samrat Chaudhary would also be a criminal," Kishor said, adding his statement had been presented only in parts.
"If what I said is incorrect, then since Samrat Chaudhary is in government, let them file a case against me - I am right here," he added.
Kishor is touring Bihar to campaign for the election to eight legislative council seats. Much like he did in Bankipur, he is urging people to rise above considerations of caste and religion.
In Vaishali, Kishor appealed to the public to cast their votes for the sake of their own and their children's education and employment, and for teachers to vote for their own dignity and fair pay scales.
He said people must now decide whether they wish to continue living under the "unchecked, unrestrained system of Samrat Chaudhary" or whether they want to impose some accountability and control upon it.
Expressing his grief over the boat accident in Vaishali, which claimed the lives of 15 children, he announced that he would spend the entire day on the Dussehra with the bereaved families, alleging that neither the chief minister nor the NDA government could spare the time to visit them.