Pawan Varma is free to leave JD(U) if he wants to: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

Days after JD(U) member Pawan Varma questioned party's tie-up with BJP for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections and how he felt about Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), Bihar chief minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar has said that he's free to leave the party and join any other party if he wants to.

Speaking to journalists over Varma’s public remarks, Kumar said that such issues can be discussed within the party or at party meetings but making it public is 'surprising'.

Speaking on Varma's letter in which he spoke of Nitish Kumar's apprehensions on CAA and NRC that he 'expressed in private', the Bihar CM said, "If anyone has any issues then the person can discuss it within the party or at party meetings, but such kind of public statements are surprising. What if I start sharing what he said to me in public? If he wants to go to some other party that is his decision, he has my best wishes,” Kumar said.

Responding to Varma’s repeated demands for 'ideological clarity', Kumar said, "party's stand is very clear on the matter."

Following Kumar's statement, Varma also responded by saying that his intention was never to hurt the party and that he welcomes discussion within party. "Welcome Mr Nitsh Kumar’s statement that there is space for discussion within the party, as that is what I asked for. Was never my intention to hurt him. I want the party to have ideological clarity. Awaiting reply to my letter, will decide future course of action after that,” he was quoted by news agency ANI.

On Wednesday, Varma wrote an open letter questioning JD(U)'s alliance with the BJP for Delhi Assembly poll 2020, saying Kumar's decision has left him 'deeply perplexed'.

Adding that 'on more than one occasion', Kumar had expressed 'grave apprehensions' in private about the BJP leading the country into a 'dangerous space', Varma questioned how JD(U) could form an alliance with the former despite the massive outrage against the CAA, NPR and NRC.

“Even after you changed tracks and aligned again with the BJP in 2017, your private apprehensions regarding the BJP did not change. For instance, I remember your confessing to me in private how the current BJP leadership has humiliated you. You maintained, on more than one occasion, that the BJP is leading India into a ‘dangerous space’,” the letter read.

Notably, JD(U) is contesting on two out of 70 seats in Delhi Assembly. BJP's decision to give these two seats to the party is seen as an attempt to strengthen the alliance between the two parties.