Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan meets Nitish Kumar in Patna

Patna: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Tuesday evening.

According to sources in the BJP, the meeting is considered as important in the context of the upcoming Presidential poll and the situation arising out of the announcement of the Agnipath scheme.

During the agitations against the Agnipath scheme, the political equation between the BJP and the JD-U in Bihar had turned sour as former BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal had blamed the Nitish Kumar-led government for failing to prevent violence in Bihar for three days.

He had also alleged that the state police inaction had allowed protesters to damage government properties, especially trains and railway stations, and attack BJP leaders including himself.

The top leadership of the BJP probably sent Pradhan for damage control and build confidence between the two allies with the hope that JD-U will support NDA candidate Draupadi Murmu for the Presidential election.

Bihar Education Minister Vijay Chaudhary and Sanjay Jha were present during the meeting.

Jaiswal along with several other BJP leaders were at the Patna airport to welcome Pradhan.