NEW DELHI—At least one more senior leader of the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), General Secretary K C Tyagi, is privately not in agreement with his party’s decision to back the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill but has decided against making his disagreement public.
On Thursday evening, when his opinion about the controversial bill and the JD(U)’s decision to back it in parliament was sought, General Secretary Tyagi initially told HuffPost India, “The party has expressed its opinion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as well. My opinion is with the party.”
“Yes, I have been (in the socialist movement) but the party made a decision. I support it. My personal opinion may be different but I can’t express it.”
But when the former Rajya Sabha MP was asked why he—despite his political background in the widely respected socialist movement in Bihar which had strong secular credentials—supports the bill, Tyagi said, “Yes, I have been (in the socialist movement) but the party made a decision. I support it. My personal opinion may be different but I can’t express it.”
On Tuesday, both national spokesperson Pawan Verma and Vice President Prashant Kishor expressed their strong disagreement with JD (U) Supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s decision to support the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
While Kishor said expressed his disappointment with the party’s decision, Verma urged Nitish Kumar to “reconsider support to the CAB in the Rajya Sabha”.
Notwithstanding the open expression of disagreements by the JD(U)’s publicly well known leaders, the party supported the controversial in the Rajya Sabha helping it pass comfortably. This has prompted speculation that the party leadership may be split.
Some reports on Thursday evening also speculated about the possibility of dissenting leaders Kishor and Verma being sent notices by the party, indicating action may be taken against the duo as the party was unhappy with them.