Bihar polls: Ashwini Kumar Choubey takes U-turn, says he is a core group member

Under pressure from party central leadership, senior BJP leader and state PHE minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey today took a u-turn on his stand to resign from the party's six-member core group in Bihar.

"Who said I have resigned as the member of the core group... I have not sent in my resignation to BJP President Nitin Gadkari," said Choubey, who had yesterday announced that he had submitted his resignation as member of the group.

Choubey, however, said he had raised objections over the manner the Digha seat was allotted to the JD(U) without consulting him and state BJP president CP Thakur.

Choubey demanded the NDA leadership reconsider its decision on candidates for a few seats like Digha, Kochaikot, Arwal, Aurai, Arwal and Narpatganj.

In reply to a question, he showered praise on chief minister Nitish Kumar and his deputy SK Modi saying there was no need "to change the driver or assistant driver of the development train since it has reached a steady pace."

Thakur too admitted having received Choubey's request for resignation from the core group.

Thakur said this was not the appropriate time to precipitate any crisis and the BJP and JD(U) have strong old bond which had always been successful - in past, today and also in future.