PATNA: Moments after Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister on Wednesday, after parting ways with the BJP and joining the Grand Alliance to form government in the state, he called for a united opposition ahead of the general elections scheduled to be held in 2024.
Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that the party was trying to break the JD(U), and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. Speculations have been rife regarding his future with his ‘national ambitions’ doing rounds in the political sphere since his move against the NDA, which whom he had reunited in 2017.
However, the Chief Minister rejected any such speculations after being sworn in today. “Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post),” he said while speaking to reporters here.
Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar said that the party made the decision together to leave the BJP. “The party made the decision together (to leave BJP). I did not want to be the Chief Minister after the previous election. But a lot of pressure was put on me to handle the post. When there were talks with them (points towards Tejashwi Yadav), the decision was made. Whether I will stay or not (till 2024)…they can say what they want, but I will not live in the year 2014,” the Chief Minister said.
Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister while RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav became his Deputy in the Bihar government.
Earlier today, Union Minister Nityanand Rai, while addressing the speculations about Nitish Kumar’s national ambitions after quitting the NDA, said that the JD(U) leader will “never be the Prime Minister” of the country, adding that post of the head of the government is “reserved” for PM Narendra Modi.
“The people of not only Bihar, but the entire country have made up their minds and blessed Narendra Modi to be the Prime Minister for lifetime. The people of this country will not accept anybody else as their PM if there is Narendra Modi. He will never be the Prime Minister. The post of PM is reserved for PM Modi because the poor got its massiha for the first time,’ Rai said.
Tarkishore Prasad, who was Nitish’s Deputy in the NDA government from which Kumar walked out yesterday, said that the people of Bihar will give a “befitting reply” if a leader acts as per his “own personal ambitions”.
“In 2017, Nitish Kumar said RJD was trying to break JD(U). Yesterday, he said BJP trying to break his party. His decision to split from BJP was well-thought-out. If a leader acts as per his own personal ambitions, Bihar will give a befitting reply,” Prasad said.
BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that Kumar joined hands with the ones who “insulted” him and left the ones who “gave him respect”. (ANI)