Nitish as opposition’s PM face? Can be an possibility if events need, says senior JDU chief

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Amid the thrill that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could emerge because the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, his celebration Janata Dal (United) mentioned on Friday that that is an possibility if different events need.

JD(U) president Lalan Singh mentioned Kumar’s primary focus is on uniting opposition events to tackle the BJP within the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and he’ll go to the nationwide capital to satisfy leaders from varied events after the vote of confidence within the Bihar meeting subsequent week.

Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister and the primary face of the JD(U), is just not a contender for the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, his shut aide Singh instructed PTI.

Asked for the celebration’s view in case of different opposition events backing him to tackle the mantle, he mentioned, “If other parties decide and want so, then it’s an option.”

The JD(U) president and Lok Sabha MP famous that many opposition leaders, together with Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal, referred to as up Kumar to congratulate him after he snapped ties with the BJP and allied with its rivals to kind a brand new authorities in Bihar.

Singh asserted that Kumar has all of the required attributes to be a chief minister whereas stressing that he’s not a contender for the job.

He mentioned all opposition events ought to sit collectively to determine on the management to tackle the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP within the subsequent Lok Sabha polls.

“Or, all parties should fight unitedly to defeat the BJP and decide later who will be their leader. Both options are there. Nitish Kumar will work on bringing all other parties fighting the BJP on one platform to pose a united challenge to its rule,” he mentioned.

Kumar’s determination to interrupt ties with the BJP, his ally since 1996 aside from the interval between 2013-17, has fuelled hypothesis about his prime ministerial bid.

BJP leaders have claimed that it was this ambition which was behind his determination to hitch arms with the RJD-Congress-Left alliance.

Kumar has rejected such claims.

There is a view that his picture untainted by allegations of corruption and nepotism — twin planks of the BJP to focus on most opposition events together with the Congress — makes him a robust alternative for the management function of the joint opposition.

Coming from Kurmi caste, which falls in Other Backward Classes (OBC) class, Kumar additionally ticks proper bins by way of his social profile, his supporters say.

Lalan Singh additionally made gentle of the BJP’s goal of profitable not less than 35 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, and claimed the celebration will lose 40 seats from its 2019 tally in Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand alone.

Losing 40 seats will cut back the BJP’s tally to beneath the bulk mark, he famous, saying the ruling celebration ought to fear about its destiny throughout the nation in such a state of affairs.

In the 2019 polls, the BJP had gained 303 seats within the 543-member Lok Sabha.

NEW DELHI: Amid the thrill that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar could emerge because the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, his celebration Janata Dal (United) mentioned on Friday that that is an possibility if different events need.

JD(U) president Lalan Singh mentioned Kumar’s primary focus is on uniting opposition events to tackle the BJP within the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and he’ll go to the nationwide capital to satisfy leaders from varied events after the vote of confidence within the Bihar meeting subsequent week.

Kumar, Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister and the primary face of the JD(U), is just not a contender for the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate, his shut aide Singh instructed PTI.

Asked for the celebration’s view in case of different opposition events backing him to tackle the mantle, he mentioned, “If other parties decide and want so, then it’s an option.”

The JD(U) president and Lok Sabha MP famous that many opposition leaders, together with Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal, referred to as up Kumar to congratulate him after he snapped ties with the BJP and allied with its rivals to kind a brand new authorities in Bihar.

Singh asserted that Kumar has all of the required attributes to be a chief minister whereas stressing that he’s not a contender for the job.

He mentioned all opposition events ought to sit collectively to determine on the management to tackle the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP within the subsequent Lok Sabha polls.

“Or, all parties should fight unitedly to defeat the BJP and decide later who will be their leader. Both options are there. Nitish Kumar will work on bringing all other parties fighting the BJP on one platform to pose a united challenge to its rule,” he mentioned.

Kumar’s determination to interrupt ties with the BJP, his ally since 1996 aside from the interval between 2013-17, has fuelled hypothesis about his prime ministerial bid.

BJP leaders have claimed that it was this ambition which was behind his determination to hitch arms with the RJD-Congress-Left alliance.

Kumar has rejected such claims.

There is a view that his picture untainted by allegations of corruption and nepotism — twin planks of the BJP to focus on most opposition events together with the Congress — makes him a robust alternative for the management function of the joint opposition.

Coming from Kurmi caste, which falls in Other Backward Classes (OBC) class, Kumar additionally ticks proper bins by way of his social profile, his supporters say.

Lalan Singh additionally made gentle of the BJP’s goal of profitable not less than 35 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, and claimed the celebration will lose 40 seats from its 2019 tally in Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand alone.

Losing 40 seats will cut back the BJP’s tally to beneath the bulk mark, he famous, saying the ruling celebration ought to fear about its destiny throughout the nation in such a state of affairs.

In the 2019 polls, the BJP had gained 303 seats within the 543-member Lok Sabha.