Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar refuted reports of his discontent over the proceedings of the Opposition India National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)’s meeting in New Delhi last week, emphasizing that he has no objection to Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s projection as the bloc’s prime ministerial candidate.
Kumar affirmed the unity between his Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the INDIA bloc, stating that they are united and will jointly contest the 2024 national polls. He clarified, “I am not at all angry with the outcome of the meeting,” marking his first comments on the reports.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event commemorating late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary, Kumar reiterated his disinterest in any post, emphasizing collective collaboration. He mentioned suggesting an early completion of seat-sharing and expressed that the seat-sharing formula will be decided soon.
Questioning the sources of reports about dissension in JD(U), Kumar asserted the party’s unity amid speculation of a potential organizational revamp. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly spoke to Kumar in response to the reports, with the Congress attributing the confusion within the INDIA bloc to a section of the media.
Lalu Prasad Yadav, a key ally of Kumar’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, dismissed speculative reports of Kumar’s unhappiness, affirming their satisfaction with the INDIA developments. The proposal of Kharge as the grouping’s prime ministerial candidate was put forth by the West Bengal chief minister at the INDIA bloc meeting, supported by Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Kumar and Yadav departed the meeting promptly, and Kumar later convened a meeting of his party’s national council on December 29, sparking speculation about his unhappiness. Reports suggesting Kumar as a possible prime ministerial candidate added to the speculation, with some party leaders expressing unease over Kharge’s name.
JD(U) lawmaker Gopal Mandal’s comments on Kharge drew attention, claiming that the public would not accept him and referring to him as “Kharge-Farge.” Congress leader Ajeet Kumar urged Kumar to take action against Mandal.
On Friday, Bihar minister and JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha stated that the party would support any name put forth as the Prime Ministerial face. He added that they await the Congress’s opinion on Kharge’s candidature and expect seat-sharing talks to conclude by January-end.
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