NEW DELHI: Underplaying Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar paying obeisance at the memorial of former prime minister and senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Congress party on Wednesday underplayed its Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) partner’s act saying the two parties are not enemies.

Nitish Kumar reached the national capital and also paid tributes at ‘Sadaiv Atal’, the memorial of Vajpayee on his death anniversary. He was a minister in the Vajpayee-led government at the Centre. He has often lauded the former PM’s leadership though he has had a love-hate relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Replying to a question while addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, “Our leader mentioned Atal ji’s name from this platform when he had held a press conference on the last occasion. We are not enemies if we are two different parties. We can have ideological differences.”

However, she used the opportunity to pass snide remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Today, when the prime minister would have bowed his head before Atal ji’s memorial, I hope the word ‘Rajdharm’ would have echoed in his ears over Manipur which has been burning for the past three months.”
Without explicitly mentioning, she was referring to the Gujarat riots of 2002 when Vajpayee, who was the then PM, has asked then state CM Modi to follow “rajdharm” (duty of a ruler) by not differentiating between the subjects on the basis of caste, creed, gender or religion..
Meanwhile, during his Delhi visit, Nitish Kumar is expected to meet a number of opposition leaders amid expectations that he may be given a formal position in the INDIA coalition.
Sources said Kumar is expected to meet leaders from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
He will be deliberating with other opposition leaders on the INDIA grouping’s strategy ahead of the meeting of the 26-party bloc in Mumbai on August 31-September 1.
The sources said the longtime Bihar chief minister, who comes from the backward Kurmi caste, may be given a formal position in the alliance.
(With agency inputs)