PATNA: In a delayed move, Defence Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh endorsed Nitish Kumar as NDA’s chief ministerial face after the first phase of polling got over on November 6. Sources in NDA camp said that BJP top leadership got feedback from party workers that non-declaration of a CM face created confusion among voters, especially among sympathisers of Nitish Kumar, who is campaigning on the theme of social welfare schemes.

BJP’s clarification that Nitish would be as next chief minister if NDA returned to power assumes significance in the wake of Nitish’s closed-door meeting with some top officers of the state administration after the first phase of elections. The officers, known as close confidants of Nitish, reportedly briefed him about the poll prospects of JD(U) candida

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