Patna, Oct 8 (IANS): Union Minister of Food Processing, Chirag Paswan came to the defence of the Bihar Chief Minister following claims by RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav that top officials were preventing Nitish Kumar from speaking publicly.

Paswan praised the Chief Minister's strong will, asserting that no one can control Nitish Kumar.

"Whoever knows Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, knows that he is a leader with strong willpower. You may disagree with his policies and style of governance, but I don’t think anyone could control him," Paswan stated while speaking to the media persons in Patna on Tuesday.

He also criticised the Opposition, suggesting that they lack substantive issues and are resorting to personal attacks on Nitish Kumar instead.

“I want to repeat my statement that the Opposition leaders have no issues to talk about and hence they are making personal allegations and attacking the Chief Minister,” Paswan claimed.

Chirag Paswan, while responding to speculations about Nitish Kumar’s potential retirement in 2025, dismissed such claims.

“Those who are dreaming of the Chief Minister’s retirement from politics, I want to tell them that the NDA will contest under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in the 2025 Assembly elections of Bihar,” he said.

Chirag Paswan’s statement came a day after Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav alleged that top officials were preventing Nitish Kumar from speaking publicly or addressing the media.

Yadav made these claims following an event related to the Rural Development Department at the Chief Minister's residence in Patna.

He criticised Nitish Kumar, noting on X that the event lasted only nine minutes despite significant expenditure on advertising.

Yadav further claimed that although District Magistrates from across Bihar attended via video conferencing, ministers and other officials were present at the venue and the event ended abruptly, with Nitish Kumar failing to speak about the implementation of rural development projects.