Nitish didn't even respond to my messages during poll campaign: Yashwant Sinha

Patna, July 15 (IANS) Opposition's Presidential poll candidate Yashwant Sinha on Friday said that he had repeatedly tried to contact Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his campaign but the latter refused to talk to him.

Sinha was in Patna during his presidential election campaign and all the opposition parties including the RJD, Congress, the CPI, the CPI-M, and the CPI-ML unanimously expressed their support.

"When the leaders of opposition parties unanimously announced my name as a joint candidate for the presidential post, I called every leader to get their support and help. Accordingly, I repeatedly contacted Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and also sent text messages to him and said that I want to talk to him but he refused. I believe his political status is bigger than people like me. Hence, he did not talk to me," Sinha said.

"When the NDA announced the name of Draupadi Murmu as a candidate for the presidential poll, Odhisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced his party's support to her as she is a native of his state. Earlier, when Pratibha Patil became a candidate for the presidential election, the Shiv Sena had given support to her as she belongs to Maharashtra. Similarly, I belong to Bihar and hence, I was thinking that Nitish Kumar may support me in the presidential poll," Sinha said.

"I personally believe that he should think about Bihar. If a candidate comes from Bihar, why Nitish Kumar is not coming in his favour is hard to understand. If Nitish Kumar is not thinking about Bihar and thinking of the universe, then I don't know but if he is thinking about Bihar, he should help a candidate who belongs to Bihar," Sinha said.

Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha, who was also present, said: "Yashwant Sinha is the most appropriate leader for the presidential poll. He will certainly win the contest. The opposition parties are united in the presidential poll."