Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JD(U) leader Pavan Varma have been at loggerheads over the recent letter by the career diplomat- turned-politician, questioning the party's decision to contest the Delhi assembly polls in alliance with BJP.
Varma had also expressed reservations about the JD(U)s support to Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Varma, who resigned from the IFS in 2013 to take up the role of Kumar's culture adviser and enjoyed a two-year tenure in the Rajya Sabha subsequently, has been critical of the party's support to the CAA. The differences, however, seem to have become irreconcilable ever since he shared screenshots of a two-page letter written to Kumar earlier this week over the two issues.
The chief minister had reacted to the statements of Varma saying the latter is "free to go wherever he likes". When the journalists brought up the issue of the letter again, the chief minister had said the letter had "no value" and "no meaning" and hence did not deserve a reply.
Kumar, however, appears to have been irked by the barrage of questions raised by the media over the letter as during an event organised to mark the birth anniversary of former chief minister Karpoori Thakur on Friday, he said too much importance is accorded to people who "just keep talkking."
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According to an NDTV report, the chief minister said during the event that there are people who keep saying things and then with folded hands referred to the reporters. He said these gentlemen keep publishing whatever people say, "but see, I don't have any problem because my focus is on work."
"When a member of the party sends a proper communication, it is replied to. Do you call it a letter? An email sent and the contents shared thereafter with the media. It has no meaning and no value", Kumar said during the event.
Later, turning to the reporters again, he made another appeal with folded hands. "Please think about our own state as what happens in our state and what impact it has," NTDV quoted him as saying. He was speaking about the flagship schemes of his government—electricity to all houses and piped drinking water.
(With PTI inputs)