Patna:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today trashed former ally BJP's claim that his government had failed to prevent the Bodh Gaya blasts as it was left weakened by the BJP's exit from the coalition last month.
"The government is not weak on any account," said Mr Nitish Kumar, on a day both the BJP and arch rival RJD held protests to highlight what they called his government's failure to avert terror.
"The BJP and RJD have joined hands. The unity of BJP and RJD is visible. Our one step (snapping ties with the BJP) has exposed everybody. They can go to any extent in their desperation for power," the chief minister said.
At a time the terror challenge required unity, parties were playing divisive politics said Mr Kumar. "People are raising slogans when I am going to the temple. Who are these people? This is frustration after losing power."
Mr Kumar said his government would make a formal request to the National Investigation Agency to probe the serial blasts and also propose to the Centre that the Central Industrial Security forces (CISF) take over the security of the historic Mahabodhi shrine.
The Congress, which appears to be eyeing the biggest gains out of the bitter split between Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United and the BJP, didn't miss the chance to hit out at the "politics over blasts."
Speaking exclusively to NDTV, senior party leader Digvijaya Singh said: "this has been BJP's design, to politicise blasts".
Mr Singh also defended tweets which tried to make a connection between the Mahabodhi blasts and Mr Narendra Modi's address to Bihar BJP workers just a day before, urging them to "teach Nitish Kumar a lesson".
"I am only raising questions with a question mark," Mr Singh told NDTV, refusing to take back his inferences.