JD-U not with Balyawi's demand that Nitish Kumar be PM

Patna:Bihars ruling JD-U on Friday distanced itself from the remarks of party leader Ghulam Rasool Balyawi, who demanded that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar be declared the NDA Prime Ministerial face as the BJP won't get a majority in the Lok Sabha.

A day after JD-U legislator made the remark, state JD-U President Vashisht Narain Singh termed his remarks personal.

"Balyawi's remarks is his personal one. The party has nothing to do with it," Singh said here. He added that the demand was "useless and baseless".

"Nitish Kumar himself has repeatedly stated that our PM candidate is (Narendra) Modi. After that what is the meaning of Balyawi's remarks?"

BJP leaders have reacted strongly against the JD-U legislator.

Balyawi, a Muslim priest turned politician and a former Rajya Sabha member, on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not get a majority of its own in the Lok Sabha. Hence, the NDA should declare Nitish Kumar as its Prime Ministerial face.

"Nitish Kumar's face is acceptable to all as he has a secular image and will be supported by all if the BJP fails short of a majority," he said.