Nitish laughs away BJP's 'prediction' on collapse of his govt

“The day I had decided to snap ties with the BJP on the issue of principle, I never bothered about the chair,” he said justifying decision to break away from BJP over elevation of Narendra Modi as a prime ministerial candidate.  “Jab desh rahega tub kai baar kursi ayega (If the country survives, chair will come again and again),” he said.

Seeking support for JD(U) candidate Awnish Kumar Singh from Purvi Champaran, Kumar alleged the present BJP leaders had “digressed” from the path of its tallest leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee and this was the reason for JD(U) to end the tie-up with them.

Awnish Kumar Singh crossed sides from BJP to JD(U) and was made a party nominee from Purvi Champaran by Kumar.

“BJP has changed its face and has brought forward a person on whom crores of Muslims do not have trust,” he alleged in an apparent dig at Narendra Modi. Mocking BJP's slogan of “Majboot Bharat” (Strong India), he said, this could not be achieved by adding arsenals, fighter planes and submarines but through “apsi bhai chara” (feeling of brotherhood).

Kumar criticised BJP for indulging in “mud-slinging” with Congress and giving its poll agenda a go by.

He reminded people of the good works done by his government in the state and promised to carry it on if people voted for him.