Law Kumar Mishra
Patna, April 4
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday put all speculations to rest about his reported move to get elected to Rajya Sabha and clarified that he would continue to head the state government.
Talking to media persons outside the Patna Sadar block office polling centre, Nitish Kumar said he was himself surprised over unauthenticated reports about his reported move to go to Rajya Sabha and leave chief minister office. “I have also read such reports, they are pure speculations only,” he added.
Nitish said he had been Chief Minister for 16 years and people have given him mandate to develop Bihar.
His former Deputy and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi also categorically denied reports about his former boss going to Rajya Sabha and said Nitish was leader of NDA and would complete his five years term as Chief Minister till 2025.
Nitish had been MLA, MLC and member of Lok Sabha, but never elected to Rajya Sabha. Sushil Modi, Lalu Prasad had been members of all the four houses in Bihar legislature and Parliament.
Rumours about Chief Minister going to Rajya Sabha had started after the results of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections last month.
During the just concluded budget session of Bihar legislative assembly, a section of the BJP legislators had made statements suggesting Bihar needed a Chief Minister like Yogi Adityanath and had claimed a BJP man as Chief Minister can sternly rule the state.
This speculation got further momentum after the verbal clash between the Chief Minister and assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha in the House.
Chief Minister exercised his right to franchise for the legislative council elections for Patna constituency, elections for 24 seats in the council were held in 534 block development offices where polling stations were set up.
HR Shriniwas, chief election officer said 98 per cent polling was recorded. Electoral roll consists of all elected members to Lok Sabha and state legislature, three tier panchayats, urban bodies.
Besides Chief Minister, former Union Minister and member of Lok Sabha from Patna Saheb cast their votes.
Election officers filed complaints against three MLAs for violation of model code of conduct.
