Nitish Kumar refuses to join debate on AAP as threat to other parties

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today refused to join debate on a perception that the Aam Admi Party (AAP) will pose a serious threat to mainstream political parties after storming to power in Delhi last month, saying everybody has a right to form a party.

"Everybody has a right to form a political party and seek elections under the parliamentary system which allows all to participate in competitive politics," he told reporters after emerging from a 'Janata Ke Durbur Mein Mukhyamantri' programme at his official residence.

The Chief Minister, however, sought to make light of the raging debate that the AAP could emerge as a major political factor in the country in the coming days, saying the fledgling political outfit was the "latest media hype".

"AAP is the latest media hype...earlier it was something else," he said apparently referring to the news of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi being declared as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate last year.

On his own party, the JD(U)'s electoral strategy, Kumar said he has "eight fronts working against him", but refused to elaborate.

The Chief Minister also said that he had talks with JVM(P) president Babulal Marandi to explore the possibilty of working together in future on common agenda, but beyond that nothing had been worked out.

On the Patna High Court acquitting all 14 persons convicted by a lower court in the mass murder of 16 people in Khagaria district over three years ago for lack of evidence, Kumar said the order will be challenged in the higher court.

On scarcity of sand in Bihar, the Chief Minister said a new sand mining policy was being worked out under the framework of the Supreme Court order.