‘Nitish best PM candidate’

Patna, Jan 30: Following some senior BJP leaders backing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate, a senior Janata Dal-United leader Wednesday made a strong pitch for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the post.

"There are several names doing the rounds for the post of PM. But Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is best among them," JD-U legislator from Chandi, Hari Kishore Singh told IANS by telephone.

"Going by the reputation and experience of governance with justice, Nitish Kumar ranks first among those in the race for the post," added Singh, who is also vice chairman of the Bihar State Planning Board.

He said that without Nitish Kumar’s support, no party would be able to form a government at the centre.

Singh criticised Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha for supporting Modi as the party’s prime ministerial candidate for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The JD-U is the second-largest party in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Last year, Panchayati Raj and Rural Works Minister Bhim Singh had triggered a controversy when he asked the BJP to declare Nitish Kumar as the NDA’s prime ministerial nominee.

However, later the minister expressed his regret after Nitish Kumar aired his unhappiness over his remarks. Nitish Kumar has repeatedly said that he is not in race for the PM post.