Nitish Kumar. (File photo)

PATNA: Hitting back at Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya over his challenge to hold snap polls in Bihar , Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said he was ready for it if the BJP agreed to hold simultaneous snap polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Maurya, while addressing a BJP’s political programme in Patna on Sunday, had dared Bihar CM to hold snap polls after dissolving the Bihar assembly if he (Nitish) had faith in the development work done by his grand alliance government.

Responding to Maurya’s challenge, Bihar CM said, “I am ready for snap polls in Bihar. I am ready even to hold it tomorrow if they (BJP leadership) want so. But the BJP will have to hold simultaneous snap polls in UP by dissolving the UP assembly.”

Nitish Kumar was talking to reporters after his weekly Lok-Samvad programme at the CM secretariat here.

Nitish also asked the BJP leadership to get resignation of all Lok Sabha members of the NDA in UP and Bihar and hold simultaneous Lok Sabha polls in the two states along with the snap assembly polls to test popularity of the saffron party.

“If they (BJP) have courage, ask them to hold simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the two states after taking resignation of all NDA MPs. Patta chal jayega kaun jitata hai (It would be known who has actual strength),” Nitish said.

Nitish was visibly annoyed over Maurya also because the latter, before going to attend the BJP’s programme at the SK Memorial hall here, made a telephonic call to Bihar CM and held a pleasant conversation. But while addressing the BJP’s meeting, he dared the Bihar CM to hold snap polls.

“Ek sajjan kal yahan aaye the (a gentleman had arrived in Patna yesterday). That ‘sajjan’ also made a call to me. But later he demanded for holding snap polls in Bihar,” Nitish said without taking name of Maurya.



In Video: Hold snap polls together in UP and Bihar: Nitish Kumar