Ranchi, March 6: Jharkhand Assembly’s Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi showered praise on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his Rajya Sabha nomination, calling it a move that underscores his dedication beyond mere power politics. ‘No amount of congratulations is enough for Nitish,’ Marandi declared, highlighting Kumar’s lifelong commitment to society and state welfare.
Recalling their shared history in Parliament when both served as Union Ministers, Marandi traced Kumar’s remarkable journey to Bihar’s top post. He painted a grim picture of pre-2000 Bihar, plagued by terrorism, militancy, and crumbling law and order. ‘Development seemed like a distant dream,’ he said. ‘People wondered if Bihar would ever recover.’
But Nitish shattered those doubts, Marandi asserted. He established the rule of law, paving the way for visible progress. Bihar fixed its power sector early on, built impressive roads, and gave the state a fresh direction. ‘People now talk about Bihar’s good roads,’ Marandi noted with pride.
Dismissing opposition criticism as expected, Marandi quipped that only Nitish and the BJP can deliver such results. ‘The opposition feels stabbed in the back because they can’t match this,’ he added.
Turning to national issues, Marandi addressed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s accusations over the Governor’s resignation. ‘This is normal procedure— the Centre appoints, the President approves,’ he said. On Banerjee’s opposition to the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), Marandi pointed to her discomfort with Rohingya Muslims from Bangladesh infiltrating voter lists, ration cards, and Aadhaar in Bengal before spreading elsewhere. ‘Their names are now being removed, causing her pain,’ he explained.
Marandi’s endorsements signal strong BJP backing for Nitish’s vision, amid ongoing political debates on governance and security.