Bengaluru, Jul 18 (IANS): Karnataka Congress President and DyCM D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday slammed BJP for putting up posters against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the city against  the backdrop of Opposition parties joint meet.

Speaking to reporters here, Shivakumar said, “This is our friend BJP's doing as he (Nitish Kumar) is a big threat to them. By putting up posters they are actually giving him publicity. The Congress is ready to fight all these forces. They are doing it like cowards. Kumar knows Karnataka politics too well,” he said.

The posters and banners targetting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar surfaced in Bengaluru on Monday late night, hours after the Opposition Parties Meet organised to create a platform against the ruling BJP alliances got underway.

The posters dubbing Kumar as the “Unstable Prime Ministerial Contender” came up near the Chalukya Circle and Windsor Manor bridge and Airport Road near Hebbal locality.

It also slammed him for being invited to the event. “Bangalore rolls out the red carpet for CM Nitish Kumar!” The posters also mention boldly about incidents of bridge collapses in Bihar under his regime. “First date of Sultanganj Bridge Collapse - April 2022, Second date of Sultanganj bridge collapse - June 2023.”

Another poster ridiculed him as “Shri Nitish Kumar, the CM, Government of Bihar, the man who builds underwater bridges.” The posters with pictures of Sultanganj bridge collapse were also put up.

Nitish Kumar is one of the prominent leaders taking part in the event and has not reacted to the development.

Commenting on the criticism by former CM Kumaraswamy and BJP on deputing IAS officers to receive alliance leaders, Shivakumar stated, Congress is in power and as per protocol the officers are deputed.

“Even I have received political leaders. Kumaraswamy is waiting for the invitation by the NDA and he is not getting it. He is making the statements to be in news,” he said.