Bihar CM Nitish Kumar hails Centre's decision to reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel

PATNA: Welcoming the Centre’s decision to reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel prices, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday said he would hold discussions with allies over the issue of further reducing prices of petroleum products in the state.
On being asked whether Bihar government too would further reduce the prices, Nitish said, “Aapas mein batchit karenge (We will hold discussions with each other). We had reduced the prices of petroleum products last time. This time too, we will hold discussions with allies over the issue to make a decision. … Whatever decision we will take, it will be taken after discussions with the allies.”
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced a record excise cut of Rs 8 per litre on petrol and a Rs 6 per litre reduction on diesel. Hailing the Centre’s decision, Bihar CM said It is a good thing and a matter of happiness that the Centre has reduced the prices of petrol and diesel.
Nitish was responding to media queries while coming out of the State JD(U) office here where he had gone to meet the party workers.
To a question, Nitish said the name of the JD(U)’s lone candidate for the forthcoming biennial election to five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar would be declared at an appropriate time.
Nitish further dodged a query about the recent CBI raids on residences and other premises of his political arch-rival and RJD president Lalu Prasad and the latter’s wife Rabri Devi.
On being asked for his reaction over the RJD’s allegation that “the recent CBI raids were politically motivated”, Nitish said, “I have nothing to say over the matter. Only those who are conducting the raids can make comments over the issue."
Nitish runs his government in alliance with the BJP and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi-led HAM(S). Lalu Prasad’s RJD had on Friday accused the CBI of acting upon “instructions from political bosses in the BJP” which runs the government at the Centre.
Earlier in the day, the CM reached the JD(U) office around 11.30 am and heard the grievances of party workers one-by-one. Hundreds of JD(U) workers had arrived from different districts to put their grievances before the CM.
“Recently, I decided to visit the party office at least a day or two every month to meet the workers. This is my second visit to the party office this month,” Nitish said, adding, “Today, I met several workers.”
Prominent JD(U) leaders who accompanied the CM at the party office were national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, education minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, building construction minister Ashok Choudhary and water resources minister Sanjay Kumar Jha.
Though senior JD(U) leader and Union steel minister RCP Singh, who was once considered very close to the Bihar CM, was in the state capital on Sunday, he was not seen at the party office. When Nitish was holding a one-to-one meeting with the party workers at JD(U) office, RCP was meeting with another set of party workers and leaders who visited the Union minister's Patna residence at 7, Strand Road.
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