'His mind is not working': Prashant Kishor targets Nitish Kumar for skipping Niti Aayog meet

NEW DELHI: Political strategist and Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor took a jab at Bihar chief ministerNitish Kumar on Sunday, following Kumar’s absence from the recent Niti Aayog meeting. Kishor questioned the CM's health, cognitive ability, and the political motivations behind his continued leadership.“Nitish Kumar didn’t attend the meeting as he is not physically and medically fit,” Kishor claimed while talking to reporters. He further criticized the CM for prioritizing political negotiations over development-focused discussions. “If you see it from another perspective, the CM of the poorest state, Bihar, didn’t attend the meeting, which was for development, but he has gone today (at NDA CMs and deputy CMs meeting) to bargain for more seats for JD(U) (in Bihar elections),” he said.In a sharp personal dig, Kishor also questioned Kumar’s mental faculties and claiming the lack of accountability for those holding public office. “His mind is not working... A student from a common family has to take physical and medical tests to pass an examination, but the state's CM, who doesn't even remember his name, has no such rule for him,” he remarked.Kishor also targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of political opportunism. “BJP has imposed such a person on Bihar as they have 12 Lok Sabha seats and support in Bihar,” he saidd. He added that the BJP was compelled to project Nitish as the CM face ahead of elections due to strategic calculations.“It’s the BJP’s compulsion to keep Nitish Kumar as the CM face till election, as if they won’t do that, he will shift to the other side,” Kishor added.This comes as Bihar CM and key NDA ally Nitish Kumar was notably absent from the 10th Niti Aayog governing council meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday. He was amongst various leaders from opposition-governed states who did not attend the session. His non-attendance has sparked political discussions, particularly as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Bihar in advance of the state's assembly elections this year.His absence at the crucial meeting triggered discussions in political circles. Leaders from both Congress and RJD have expressed their disappointment, labelling it as "unfortunate" whilst suggesting potential underlying political implications.Read more: Bihar's Nitish Kumar joins non-NDA CMs in skipping Niti Aayog meet, sparks political buzz