Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Monday asserted that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s abrupt return to the BJP-led NDA was “good riddance” for the opposition INDIA bloc in which many leaders were now “heaving a sigh of relief”.

Talking to reporters in Kishanganj district shortly after Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ entered Bihar, Ramesh also challenged the JD(U) president to leverage his position as an NDA ally, and compel the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to make public the report of the caste survey conducted by the previous Manmohan Singh regime, as reported by PTI.

“There is going to be absolutely no adverse impact on INDIA bloc of Kumar’s exit. Many leaders are heaving a sigh of relief and saying thank god this man is gone. It is good riddance,” said the Congress leader, whose party ended up losing power in Bihar and two cabinet berths as a result of the latest volte-face by the JD(U) supremo.

“It is true that Kumar had hosted the first meeting of opposition leaders in Patna, and had been attending all subsequent conclaves. But, although we could not make out what were his plans, in the past two or three months his behaviour was not inspiring trust,” Ramesh said.

The erudite leader came out with a number of colourful epithets to mock Kumar, saying the old adage ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ to describe weathercocks should be replaced with 'Aaya Kumar, Gaya Kumar'.

Kumar on Sunday took oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record ninth time after a dramatic volte-face, ditching the 'Mahagathbandhan' and the opposition bloc INDIA and forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.

Ramesh also alleged that the prime minister, who is a "jhooth ke jagadguru (pontiff of liars)" had masterminded the timing chosen by the JD(U) president, who was "vishwasghat ke visheshagya (specialist in betrayals)".