No offer was made to Prashant Kishor to re-join JD(U), he is working for BJP; says party chief Lalan Singh

PATNA: Days after election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor claimed that he rejected two offers from Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to re-join the latter’s party, the JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan said on Saturday said that no offer was made to Kishor, rather the election campaign manager had approached Nitish with a request to re-join the Bihar’s ruling party.
The JD(U) chief further asserted that the election strategist was “not a political worker but a businessman” who relied on “marketing” tactics before calling on Nitish for a scheduled meeting.
Lalan also alleged that Kishor was “working for” the BJP, as part of its “conspiracies” to find a firm foothold in Bihar.
“We all top leaders in the JD(U) are fully aware that Prashant Kishor has been working for the BJP for some time. One of the BJP agents was recently caught during a “magistrate checking” by Nitish Kumar. Now, he has gone out from the party,” said the JD(U) president, in an oblique reference to former JD(U) national president and former Union minister RCP Singh who recently quit the party.
“In fact, the BJP is relying on conspiracies in Bihar. First, it used a senior JD(U) leader as its agent. Now since he has left the party, the BJP is looking for another agent to cause damage to the JD(U). But this time, we are very vigilant. We will not allow these designs to succeed in their operation to cause damage to JD(U),” Lalan said in a video message.
Lalan’s remarks come barely a few days after a meeting between Nitish and Kishor after which the latter claimed to have engaged in some plain-speak with the Bihar CM, having told the latter that prohibition, one of his most famous moves, was a complete failure and needed to be reviewed.
In his video message, Lalan also revealed that it was Kishor who wanted to meet Nitish after the formation of new ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government in Bihar. “Kishor spoke to the CM who asked him to first have a word with the party president. Resultantly, he came to meet me in New Delhi.”
“During our meeting, I categorically explained to Kishor that his return to the party could be considered if he agreed to abide by the party's discipline and rules. Thereafter he secured an appointment with the CM who agreed to meet him and gave an appointment. The meeting was scheduled at 4pm. But, as part of his marketing strategy, Kishor before his arrival from Delhi, called all media persons over phone at around 2pm to inform that he has been called to the CM's residence but he will not go,” the JD(U) president claimed.
“A few days ago, when former Rajya Sabha member Pavan Varma called on Nitish Kumar at the CM residence here, the former also had a word with Kishor whom he knows. Varma told the CM that Kishor also wanted to meet him in the new political situation. Then, the CM asked Varma to bring him. Kishor called on the CM recently. But after meeting with Nitish, Kishor has been claiming that he was offered to re-join the JD(U). But why will anybody give him any offer? Who is he?” said the JD(U) chief.