Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday asserted he was not in the race for Prime Minister’s office and said he was looking forward to playing a “positive” role in forging Opposition unity against the ruling NDA at the Centre.
“Please do not ask me such questions, I have said many times that I harbour no such ambitions. I want to serve my State. I say this with folded hands, I have no such thoughts…My work is to work for everyone,” Kumar said at a Press conference in Patna when he was asked about his aspirations to be the Prime Ministerial candidate backed by the Opposition.
Asserting that he will make an effort to see that all the Opposition parties work together, he said, “Let all parties stick together for the 2024 polls. All Opposition parties have to come forward.”
When asked what role he saw for himself in forging unity among divided Opposition parties, Kumar said, “Our role will be positive. I have been receiving many telephone calls. It is my wish that all come together (against the BJP-led NDA). You will see some action in the days to come.”
Even as the certain Opposition quarters seems to back Kumar to lead the show in next general elections in 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sought to remain equidistant from the BJP-led NDA and the UPA comprising the Congress, saying it is for the JD(U) and its allies to decide if they want Kumar as their PM candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Kumar received a shot in the arm as leaders from Uttar Pradesh’s Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president Om Prakash Rajbhar said if the Opposition projects Kumar as its PM candidate in the next general election, he would consider supporting him.
Shivpal Yadav from the SP patriach Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family said the coming together of Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh is possible only if their leaders show “maturity” like the one witnessed in Bihar.
At the media briefing Kumar also made light of apprehensions of “misuse” of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against the new dispensation in Bihar, which has achieved power after ousting the BJP, and said “those habituated to misuse will face public ire”.
“I have no such fears. Remember one thing, even if a habit has been formed of misuse (of agencies), those indulging in the same will be closely watched by the people,” said Nitish.
The JD(U) leader was also asked whether he would be going to Gujarat, the home turf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to campaign for the Assembly elections scheduled later this year. “You will get to know about that in due course”, Kumar added.
Kumar also said he had decided against the JD(U) joining the Government at the Centre, after the BJP’s refusal to his demand for four ministerial berths in 2019. He also asserted that the induction of his former close aide RCP Singh last year did not have his consent.
“I had said in 2019 that we should get at least four berths. We had 16 MPs, they had just one more from Bihar. Agreeing to anything less than that would have sent a bad message in Bihar from where they had inducted five people. They refused so we did not join,” Kumar said.
Asked about BJP leaders’ contention that his consent was sought before the induction of Singh, the CM said “it is untrue”.
“He (RCP) was the national president and I did not approve of the development. A reason why I made him step down from the top party post six months later,” Kumar said.
Nitish went on to slam the BJP for raising questions about the Z+ security cover granted to the Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav. “Why should they object to it? He is the Deputy CM. Why should he not get it? They speak nonsense, it is all useless,” added Nitish.