However, the luncheon meeting between Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in Patna today came as a damper for those who were expecting Kumar to do a Naveen Patnaik in the run-up to the state assembly polls.
Just two days after Kumar cancelled a dinner for the BJP brass to convey his disapproval about an advertisement featuring him with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the luncheon meeting between Mukherjee and Kumar was seen as a possible platform that could change the equations in Bihar.
While Kumar played the perfect host to Mukherjee — following a meeting with the chiefs of public sector banks to take stock of the performance on the credit deposit ratio — the two leaders maintained a distance in public. The meeting was also attended by chief ministers and officials from eastern and north-eastern states.
The only time the two leaders were seen interacting in an informal way was when the chief minister was trying to convince Mukherjee to try out local delicacies, including litti chokha and baked fish and Mukherjee sticking to his choice of dishes.
Mukherjee was received at the airport by Deputy CM and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi. When the cavalcade reached the chief minister's secretariat, the CM welcomed the senior leader and escorted him to the conference room.
According to people who were present in the meeting, Mukherjee listened to the chief ministers and CMDs of banks — their grievances and replies — very patiently. "Though they sat side-by-side, not for once did the two show signs of getting close or sharing a word between themselves. It was business as usual," said an official. Sushil Kumar Modi was all along by Kumar’s side during the entire event.
During a press conference after the event, Mukherjee refused to answer questions regarding the state government’s criticisms of the central policies. However, in reply to a question on the demand of a special-category status to Bihar, he said: "This will be decided by the Planning Commission. So, I am not in a position to comment on that. But, I am fully aware that a special package for Bihar had been articulated."
According to informed sources, Mukherjee had called up Kumar before the planning of this event. During the call, the CM was reportedly asked by the finance minister whether Kumar could schedule this conference in Patna and be free to attend the meet.
Kumar had obliged the senior leader by postponing his Pravas Yatra. "He enthusiastically agreed to organise this meeting and also postponed the yatra that was to be held today," the source said.
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