BJP has no courage to apologise to Muslims: Nitish

Patna: Unimpressed with BJP's offer to apologise for any "mistake" or shortcomings in the past, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said one needed to have "courage" for it.

"One needs to have courage to apologise, which, I think, they do not have," Kumar told reporters when asked about BJP president Rajnath Singh's offer of apology to reach out to Muslims ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Image courtesy PIB

"You need to have a feeling from inside that I have committed this mistake... I do not think that the party has the courage to say so," the senior JD(U) leader said.

On being told that the offer was made by Rajnath Singh and not BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Kumar said, "It will be dismissed outright."

To a question on reports of LJP joining the BJP, Kumar said, "This is an irony, but a truth."

He refused to comment on the expulsion of senior leader Shivanand Tiwari, who had been firing salvos at him, and four others from the party.

Kumar said his party has reached an understanding with CPI for the Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. "A formal announcement and details of the tie-up will be announced soon."

On sting operations revealing that poll surveys were fudged, he said, "I have been saying that these are dhokha (cheat) and a PR exercise played by people having cash bags."

Asked if he supported ban on surveys, he said, "If I say so, people will say I am doing so because of getting less seats in these surveys... but people will themselves protest such a game played by people rich in cash."

In an apparent dig at Narendra Modi, Kumar said, "I have been saying if the surveys are giving results in his favour what is he waiting for? He will take an oath of the highest chair without casting of ballots."

PTI