The Hindu : Front Page : Manmohan calls up Nitish Kumar

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Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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Manmohan calls up Nitish Kumar

Gargi Parsai

NEW DELHI: In a surprise move, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday telephoned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The conversation lasted about five minutes. This gave rise to speculation that the Congress wanted to keep all its options open for a post-poll tie-up with the Janata Dal (United).

At an NDA rally in Ludhiana on Sunday, Mr. Kumar said the Centre had asked the State to return the Rs. 1,000 crore relief money extended to it. This was reportedly refuted by the Prime Minister. He described the charge as “absolutely false.”

Mr. Kumar told The Hindu from Patna that the Prime Minister said on Tuesday he would take a “re-look” at the entire issue.

Dr. Singh referred to the letter written by the Bihar Chief Secretary to the Cabinet Secretary on Monday and said the matter would be looked into.

Mr. Kumar said his government wrote to the Centre in response to the communication received from them asking the State to return the immediate relief of Rs. 1,000 crore extended to it last year. The Bihar government had sought immediate relief as well as Rs. 14,800 crore for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the flood-hit.

Mr. Kumar said the State had a “negative balance” of Rs. 820 crore in the Calamity Relief Fund for 2008-09 and spent its entire share of 2007 for flood relief in that year. It was in no position to return the Rs. 1,000 crore. “This is injustice,” he told Dr. Singh.

Although informed sources said nothing political was discussed, Dr. Singh’s initiative was seen as a damage control exercise.

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