Nitish Kumar says joining Mahagathbandhan was "mistake", vows not to repeat it

Patna (Bihar) [India], March 30 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday admitted that joining the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) twice was a mistake and assured that it would never happen again.
The Bihar CM also credited former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his political rise and reaffirmed his commitment to the NDA, highlighting the state government's efforts in development and women's empowerment.
Speaking at a public event in Patna, Kumar said, "We made a mistake by going there (Mahagathbandhan) twice. Now we have decided that this will never happen again. This is wrong. Who made me the Chief Minister? Atal Bihari Vajpayee made me the Chief Minister. How can we forget?"
He said that in Panchayat Raj in 2006 and civic bodies in 2007, the state government started the polls, and in that, they worked for women's empowerment.
"Four elections have been over, and in many places, the representation of women is more than 50 percent. Earlier, nothing was done for women. We took a loan from World Bank and expanded the Self Help Group and named it as Jeevika. We have decided that in urban areas, Jeevika would be introduced. We are working for all sections of the society," he said.
Kumar also acknowledged the central government's role in Bihar's development.
"In the budget, special financial assistance has been given to Bihar in the sector of infrastructure, industry, flood control, health, and tourism and in 2025, the establishment of Makhana Board and the development of airports have been announced. Two big projects, the Kosi river project and Patna-Ara-Sasaram four lane corridor project have been approved," he said.
"Before 2005, no one used to get out of their houses after evening, and there used to be communal violence. No work on education was done. There were no proper health facilities," he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at the residence of CM Nitish Kumar for the NDA meeting on Sunday.
Amit Shah attended the Inauguration and foundation stone laying of various schemes of the central government and state government of the corporation department in Patna.
Shah, on Sunday, slammed former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, calling his 1990-2005 tenure an era of "Jungle Raj" and accusing his government of corruption and misgovernance, particularly citing the fodder scam.
"What did Lalu Yadav's government do in Bihar from 1990 to 2005? Lalu Yadav's government defamed Bihar in the country and the world by doing a fodder scam in the entire state. His government will always be known as 'Jungle Raj' in the history of Bihar," the Home Minister said.
Ahead of his address, Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects in Bihar. (ANI)