Daijiworld Media Network - Patna
Patna, Nov 14: Jan Suraaj founder and Bankipur MLA Prashant Kishor on Saturday clarified that he has no personal feud with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, maintaining that their differences are ideological and centred on the development of the state.
His remarks came days after the two leaders met at a social gathering earlier this week during the Brahmbhoj ceremony, the final-day ritual following the death of senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha member R.K. Sinha. Sinha passed away on October 30 after a prolonged illness.
Sinha's son and BJP national secretary Rituraj Sinha escorted Kishor to meet Choudhary, who arrived at the venue shortly after him.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Kishor said meeting people in public and social life was part of Bihar's cultural traditions and should not be interpreted as a sign of personal reconciliation or a change in political differences.
"This is Bihar's culture. And in our own culture, in public life or in any aspect of social life, when you meet someone, there is no personal fight, no personal feud. The feud is ideological; the feud is regarding the development of Bihar. Personally, I have neither any association with Samrat Choudhary nor any love, nor any feud with him," he said.
On Friday, Kishor had also stressed the importance of maintaining social and political etiquette during public interactions, asserting that such meetings did not indicate any change in political positions.
"Our culture teaches us to maintain social and political etiquette when we meet someone. My meeting with Samrat Choudhary will not turn someone who failed Class 7 into a PhD holder. I have previously described him as a criminal. Just because I met him once does not mean I will start portraying him as a saint or sage," Kishor had said.
Meanwhile, Choudhary on Friday announced that the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge across the Ganga would be named 'Nitish Setu' in honour of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Reacting to the announcement, Kishor told reporters that completing the bridge was more important than the name given to it. The bridge connects to Raghopur, the Assembly constituency represented by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.
"It's good; a bridge should be built. Whosoever's name it is built under, as long as a bridge is built, that is good," the Jan Suraaj founder said.