The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Bihar): Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) president Nitish Kumar made headlines on Sunday with a notable faux pas at an election rally near Patna, where he mistakenly wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi another term as “chief minister.”
“It is my wish that Narendra Modi becomes a chief minister again (phir se mukhya mantri banein),” Kumar said, causing visible discomfort among those on stage, including local BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad. Kumar’s confidant, Sanjay Kumar Jha, a Rajya Sabha MP and JD (U) national general secretary, quickly corrected him, pointing out that the correct term was ‘pradhan mantri’ or prime minister.
“Of course, he is the prime minister,” Kumar responded sharply, seemingly unaware of his verbal slip.
The JD (U) chief also used his speech to reaffirm his commitment to the BJP alliance, reflecting on his brief alliances with the RJD, which he noted lasted for “about a month or a month-and-a-half (ek dedh mahine ke liye).”
Kumar’s latest gaffe follows a series of recent verbal missteps. During a previous rally, he inadvertently wished for “more than four thousand (char hazar se zyada) seats for the NDA,” drawing chuckles from the crowd.
The video clip of Kumar’s latest slip-up quickly circulated on social media, prompting some to speculate whether it was a Freudian slip, recalling the past rivalry between Kumar and Modi when Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.